Category Info

Greenway Construction Started

As work continues at Valdese Lakeside Park on the parking area and restroom site, the greenway is now getting attention. Pictured here is where the greenway passes the picnic area (or the right). If you ever walked the grass greenway,…

Rep Blackwell – Conservation Award

Representative Hugh Blackwell has been named Public Lands Conservationist of the Year by NCWF. NC Representative Hugh Blackwell (District 86) has been a trailblazer in preserving thousands of acres in western North Carolina by increasing the miles of trails, leaving…

Construction Started at VLP

The grassy field parking lot at the end of Lake Rhodhiss Drive is now closed. The only parking area to access Valdese Lakeside Park  is at the intersection of Lake Rhodhiss Dr and Lovelady Rd. The only people entrances are…

Dog Park Match Met

No more driving to Morganton or Hudson for those in eastern Burke County. A dog park is coming to Valdese Lakeside Park! Last fall, Friends of the Valdese Rec (FVR) applied for a grant from the J Alex and Vivian…

2021 Annual Meeting

The FVR Annual General Membership Meeting was held online. The guest Speaker was Ryan Sparks with Foothills Conservancy of NC. A Land and Water Fund grant was used to purchase the Valdese Lakeside Park property and FCNC monitors the land…

75 Volunteers Clean VLP

75 Volunteers came out on Saturday, March 13 to carry out trash from old dump sites and tree stands, clean the cove, clear brush and move daffodils that will be destroyed by construction. They were from Rotary Club of Valdese,…

Speaker Moore Helps VLP

Thanks to NC State House Speaker Moore, the Town of Valdese received $51K in funding from NCDOT for the Valdese Lakeside Park project. The park will include an ADA compliant greenway along Lake Rhodhiss and McGalliard Creek for which NC…

Wildlife Camera

Have you ever wondered what is wandering around Valdese Lakeside Park? Thanks to our Media Specialist Zakk Heile we know! In March 2020, Beth Heile commented that she had not been able to get a picture of the otters at…

Story Trail

In December, FVR set up a temporary Story Trail at Valdese Lakeside Park. Starting at the main entrance, children can read a book as the walk the greenway to the picnic area. To create the story trail, each page of…

Virtual Trail Runs

We did not plan a Trail Race this year because we thought construction would be underway. However, the trails are still clear and we set up routes for you to do virtually. Run a 5K or 10K at a time…