LANDIS — Soccer games on Saturday mornings at the J. Fred Corriher South Rowan YMCA are part of a strong sports program. Multiple fields are used all morning and into the afternoon, as parents and grandparents gather to watch their kids play. Over the last few years, parking quickly filled all of two large gravel areas near the fields, then the main paved lots at the YMCA and a good portion of the available parking at the Frank Tadlock Library. In addition to that, just about any ground not seen as a ditch was in danger of being used.
“The need was great, and it was time to do something because on Saturday mornings, people would park anywhere to access the games. At any given time, we had 200-250 vehicles looking for space. Cars and trucks keep coming and going all morning. One of our lots is shared with the Landis Wilderness Park and of course the library lot had another purpose,” said South YMCA Executive Director Aaron Crowe.
Vulcan Materials Company and Community and Government Relations Manager Denise Hallett had helped the South YMCA on multiple occasions with donations of stone and had arranged for enough sand to build a large outdoor volleyball pit. Other stone projects that Vulcan Materials had helped with included walking tracks in two locations, stabilizing an erosion-prone driveway and a new woods trail to the volleyball pit and one of the walking tracks.
South YMCA Sports Director Carvie Kepley said, “We have the smallest service area of all the nearby YMCAs, but our program participants number the most. Spring soccer has 295 kids playing in divisions 4 and under, 6 and under, 8 and under, 10 and under, and 14 and under. With all the home construction nearby, I expect these numbers to increase drastically. Already, family and friends are parking on every bit of open area even during wet conditions.”
Crowe decided to do something about the parking shortage and was initially concerned about the tree removal. A contractor was secured to take down 10 large gum and oak trees and grind the stumps. All the debris were hauled away as Crowe set the stage for the next step. He contacted Hallett, an engineer herself, and again she came through as Vulcan Materials agreed to donate 200 tons of a non-sized crusher run mix of gravel to overspread the area once grading was completed on site. This material was produced at Vulcan’s Kannapolis plant. Local farmer Robert Miller donated quality fill dirt and Glenn Corriher from Corriher Sand and Stone delivered it as several holes were leveled. A volunteer graded the site and soon dump trucks from DLB Trucking began rolling. DLB owner Donald Bost and driver Bob Kluttz were instrumental in timely delivery of the gravel, just as they have been in those past Y projects.
Crowe said, “I kept checking the progress as the loads arrived and soon we were well on the way to added parking spaces. My goal was to have all this complete by the second week in March, just about the time that spring practices would start. Things went so well that we purchased an additional 36 tons to better complete part of the perimeter parking.”
Kepley said, “Our first games were played on Thursday, April 9, and then came the big Saturday game day on April 11. We were worried about how the drivers would park but they did an outstanding job with at least 60 spaces created in the new parking area. And I noticed that instead of treating this lot as additional parking, it became the primary parking area and was first filled. I immediately began receiving compliments on the project.”
Crowe thanked all those involved, especially Hallett and Vulcan Materials and also DLB Trucking.
He said, “I love it when a plan comes together and this one certainly has. Because of our low cost on this project and ongoing relationship with Vulcan Materials, we have new projects in mind.”
Hallett said, “Vulcan Materials has been supplying crushed stone to the community for over 40 years. Giving back to organizations like the YMCA is a core part of our corporate mission. When we help those who serve our neighbors, we all benefit.”
