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Friends of the Valdese Rec and Town of Valdese worked together to submit a technical assistance planning grant from Appalachian Regional Commission and the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The program is called “Creating Outdoor Recreation Economies (CORE)” and the…

Thanks to a grant from Burke Youth Organized Philanthropists, 36 children (K-5) will learn the art of Plein Air Painting from a professional instructor at the kick off of the Valdese Plein Air Fest during Friends of the Valdese Rec’s…

View the full Economic Impact Report here Highlights of the report……. What does Valdese Lakeside Park bring to Valdese in visitor and resident spending? Does the park save residents money? Do visitors really stop in town to eat? These are…

Friends of the Valdese Rec (FVR) held an NC Year of the Trail grand opening group walk on Sunday, April 16 to celebrate the completion of the Valdese Greenway. The entire 2-mile greenway is now crushed cinder for an easier…

Just in time for Read Across America Day, and to celebrate NC Year of the Trail, Friends of the Valdese Rec held the ribbon cutting for their new Story Book Trail at Valdese Lakeside Park. The home school community was…

From Jan 30 to Feb 27, 2023, FVR collected information via a Google Survey form about Valdese Lakeside Park. The link was provided on our web site, on Facebook and at our events. We had 82 responses from the following…

Sunday, March 12 at 2pm As a part of Discover Burke Trails Day and NC Year of the Trail, Friends of the Valdese Rec will host a group hike along the easy, mostly flat 2 mile greenway. Sunday, March 12…

We need your help – to plan a better park! Please complete this quick survey…. mostly check boxes! Form Link at We have general park counts – 200 on weekdays and 400 on weekend – but knowing more will…

A feasibility study has been completed for the Wilderness Gateway State Trail Trailhead and sidepath leading into Valdese Lakeside Park. Friends of the Valdese Rec secured funds to hire Destination by Design to recommend the best use of space at…