Park progress at Plain View

Jul. 26—The Plain View Community Coalition (PVCC) recently received a $40,000 grant from State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) Foundation to help further its mission to promote outreach and improve access to health, wellness, and recreation activities for low-resourced youth, adults and the elderly. That mission has brought a significant makeover to a property where an abandoned school sat for years, with still more plans on the horizon.

PVCC provides oversight for community center facilities, functions, and activities at the community center off Plain View Highway, where a sizable overhaul has happened in recent years toward giving residents in northern Sampson County and the surrounding area access to a recreation and wellness activities and programs.

"PVCC was created out of necessity when the local elementary school was relocated. The community center and accompanying board was created to determine a new use and sustainability of the existing building and property," said David Core, PVCC board chair. "The SECU Foundation grant will allow the board to receive best-in-class consulting for our immediate board and community center structure. The funding also will support the development of a long-term strategic plan to ensure sustainability of the community center and park for generations to come."

Plain View School was built in the 1920s with classrooms and an auditorium. Later, a cafeteria was added in 1953. The was completed in 1986. Many children in the community where educated in the building for many years, until a new school was built in 2001. The demolition of the abandoned school was included in the first phase of the project, with the construction of a Plain View Memorial Wall with original bricks from the building and donor names following. A cupula on the property was also taken down and restored.

Last month, the PVCC and members of the community celebrated the completion of the first phase of the community park project, which has already seen a sizable facelift to the property. A ribbon-cutting was held and a new five-year strategic plan introduced that seeks to build on the successes of previous years, specifically targeting the construction of an outdoor pavilion, a new playground and a continued gym renovation.

"We are so pleased to support PVCC to further their mission for improved health and wellness," said Thomas Suddarth, SECU Goldsboro-West Ash Street Branch senior vice president. "Recreational amenities such as community centers and parks are services that bring great value to life within a community. We hope that the Foundation's grant empowers PVCC to reach even more and continue making a lasting impact on the lives of those in the Sampson County area."

The endeavor has benefited from sizable contributions in recent years, including $50,000 from Sampson County and $59,000 from the Cannon Foundation last year that went toward grading and construction of a walking trail. A SCIF grant in the amount of $150,000 was also secured in 2022. South River EMC has contributed toward the effort multiple times, along with others.

More than $120,000 was raised for the initial demolition project of the old school building for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit and PVCC received a $40,000 grant from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to hire consultants for a land use study years ago.

"We feel like Plain View needs a park and we feel like the park will be a benefit to the community," said Jim Schmidlin, treasurer of the PVCC, when the endeavor was in its infancy. "We think it will help out all different generations of our community with things such as a safe walking trail and having a good physical place to start back with rec programs."

That has come to fruition in recent years, with still more plans on the way.

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.