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Old Fort's Catawba Avenue open again for traffic
Paving work completed Friday for streetscape project
MIKE CONLEY
On Friday morning, the repaving of Catawba Avenue in Old Fort
was done, and by Friday afternoon, the downtown street was open to
traffic.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
The streetscape project for Old Fort's downtown is nearing completion.
On Friday morning, the repaving of Catawba Avenue was done and by Friday afternoon, the vital street in Old Fort was open again to traffic.
"While the streetscape project isn't quite finished, we're getting closer," the town of Old Fort said in a statement. "There is still work to be completed, including permanent pavement striping, tree planting, and other finishing touches. Additional temporary closures will be necessary as crews complete the remaining work, but for now, Catawba Avenue is open!"
The goal of the streetscape plan is to upgrade Old Fort's downtown corridor with crosswalks, bump-outs, pedestrian signals, ADA improvements and bicycle and pedestrian facilities that will better protect downtown patrons from vehicular traffic. The downtown will also have new and more attractive streetlights.
The streetscape will make Catawba Avenue more friendly for pedestrians.
While the work was being done, traffic was being rerouted so customers could still access the businesses along and around Catawba Avenue. Those businesses remained open and continued to be accessible throughout the construction, according to town officials.
"We will continue sharing updates as information becomes available," the town's statement said. "Thank you to our downtown businesses, residents, and visitors for your continued patience throughout this project. We encourage everyone to continue visiting and enjoying downtown Old Fort as the finishing touches are completed!"
Landscaping and final project cleanup are anticipated to be completed by the end of October, according to a statement from the town.
Local
Top StoryEditor's PickSpotlight
Rotary Club of Marion to hold 43rd annual auction on Thursday
Mike Conley
Updated
The Rotary Club of Marion’s auction will take place Thursday,
Oct. 15, at the Box Factory performance and event center at 29
Logan St. The preview will begin after 5 p.m., and the bidding
starts at 6 p.m. This year’s auction has a goal of raising at least
$70,000. In this photo from last year, auctioneer Jim Williams
takes bids as fellow Rotarians hold up items.
FILE PHOTO
In this photo from last year, auctioneer Jim Williams conducts
the sale as fellow Rotarians point out bidders in the crowd.
FILE PHOTO
The Rotary Club’s auction will take place Thursday, Oct. 15, at
the Box Factory performance and event center at 29 Logan St. This
year’s auction has a goal of raising $70,000, and this is the
highest goal ever set for this auction, which started in 1984.
FILE PHOTO
For 43 years, the Rotary Club of Marion’s auction has attracted
crowds of people anxious to bid on numerous interesting items. This
photo is from last year’s auction.
FILE PHOTO
The Rotary Club’s auction has a lot of vacation packages. One of
them is this treetop hideaway in Marion. It is a two-night stay,
with one bedroom and one bathroom and has a $650 value.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Another vacation package to be sold is the use of one of these
cabins at Grier Village’s Copper Ridge near Old Fort. A two-night
stay at the new Copper Ridge at Grier Village can accommodate up to
12 guests. The cabin has five bedrooms and five bathrooms and comes
with a large fireplace, a fire pit and a hot tub. This package has
a $1,500 value.
FILE PHOTO
These firearms will go on the Rotary Club of Marion’s auction
block on Thursday, Oct. 15.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
This gift basket from Flavors on Main will be among the many
items to be sold.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
This gift basket of a cat bed and cat toys will be sold to the
highest bidder.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
A 34-piece Victorian Christmas village is just one of many
collectibles to be sold.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
A framed poster of “Smokey and the Bandit” will be sold to the
highest bidder at the Rotary Club’s auction on Thursday. It is just
one of some highly collectible movie posters to be sold. Others
will be framed posters of “Ben-Hur” and “Raiders of the Lost
Ark.”
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
On Thursday, the Rotary Club of Marion will hold its 43rd annual auction to raise $70,000 — its highest goal ever — in support of truly worthwhile causes throughout McDowell County.
The Rotary Club’s auction will take place Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Box Factory performance and event center at 29 Logan St. The preview will begin after 5 p.m., and the bidding starts at 6 p.m. Many of the items to be sold have been generously donated by local businesses and area attractions, according to a news release.
As before, Rotarian Jim Williams is this year’s auctioneer. This will be an absolute auction with no reserves.
This year’s auction has a goal of raising $70,000 — the highest goal ever set for the auction, which started in 1984.
The auction will sell such collectibles as antique guns, gift baskets from Flavors on Main and a 34-piece Victorian Christmas village. There will be lots of gift certificates for various restaurants and businesses, both local and regional. Stacks of premium plywood are always popular with bidders.
The Rotary Club’s auction has a lot of vacation packages. One of them is a treetop hideaway in Marion. It is a two-night stay with one bedroom and one bathroom and has a $650 value.
Another vacation package to be sold is the use of one of the cabins at Grier Village’s Copper Ridge near Old Fort, which recently opened. A two-night stay at one of Copper Ridge’s new cabins can accommodate up to 12 guests. A cabin has five bedrooms and five bathrooms and comes with a large fireplace, a fire pit and a hot tub. This package has a $1,500 value.
You can also bid on collectible movie posters for such great films as “Ben-Hur,” “American Graffiti,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
This annual event is the most important fundraiser for the club, and it makes possible all of the good and worthwhile programs accomplished by local Rotarians. Numerous gift cards to various restaurants and local businesses will be available for immediate purchase, according to organizers.
You don't have to be present to get an item. You can put in a bid with a Rotarian, and the club members will handle it for you. Most of the vacation packages will accommodate more than one family, so you can pool your money.
All proceeds from this big event go to support Rotary’s many worthwhile causes. No auction income is used for club administration. It all goes back to the club’s charitable projects. In the past, those charitable projects have included:
Providing scholarships for McDowell County students. A portion of the money raised goes directly into the scholarship fund.
Providing grants to local nonprofit organizations through the small grants initiative.
Supporting the Corpening Memorial YMCA in McDowell County.
Sponsoring Interact Clubs at McDowell High School and McDowell Early College.
Supporting the Honor Air Flight — helping send local veterans to see the war memorials in Washington, D.C.
Support for Care Partners-Hospice of McDowell.
Making an annual contribution to the McDowell County Public Library.
Weekly recognition of high school students and athletes of the week.
Holding the annual Christmas Party, which provides holiday joy for so many deserving children in our community.
Purchasing a van for use by the McKinney-Vento students in the McDowell County School System. These are students who are considered homeless.
Donating six Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for public buildings in Marion and McDowell County.
Participating in the Read Across America event, where Rotarians read Dr. Seuss books at local schools.
Providing small grants to local nonprofit organizations.
Providing multiplication flash cards for all third-grade students.
Supporting the Rotary Club of Marion Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to support worthy projects in the local community. Established July 1, the Rotary Club of Marion Foundation will be a steadfast source of support for nonprofits and service organizations in McDowell County. It enables donors to make tax-deductible contributions.
In addition to all these, the Rotary Club has stepped up and aided families in McDowell County whose lives have been upended by Helene. A clothing closet was set up at the Universal Center so families could obtain the needed clothes and shoes. The Rotary Club provided a culvert so that a family whose home was cut off by floodwaters could be reconnected with the rest of the county. The Marion club continues to help families in McDowell recover from Helene.
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