SNOW HILL — A few individuals in the town of Snow Hill have been brainstorming ideas to make the town more appealing to visitors. A couple plans were presented to the town board Monday night for its review.
The five members of the Snow Hill Development Advisory Commission have been investigating the possibility of creating a small recreational vehicle park and a monument to honor the former Snow Hill Billies baseball team at the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s boat ramp.
The boat ramp is situated downtown adjacent to Contentnea Creek and the former baseball field, which flooded during Hurricane Floyd in 1999.
The Billies, which became a charter member of the Coastal Plain League in 1934, was the smallest semi-pro team in the league. The league joined the National Association in 1937, and the Billies played professional minor league baseball until 1940.
Gene Riddle, an Advisory Commission member, said the idea for a monument came up a couple of years ago when another member, Gene Smith, created a movie about the Billies. But the idea stagnated.
“Somebody needed to do it, so I did it,” Riddle said about creating a design. “We’ve been waiting for it for two years.”
With approval from Wildlife, a granite and marble monument could stand in the center of the loop road amidst the old ball field.
Town Administrator Dana Hill said the cost, which would be included in the Commission’s budget for 2013-2014, is estimated up to $1,200. Hill and Riddle said the monument would be angled and at reading level. Hill said it could be installed by the fall.
Riddle said an RV park, if approved by Wildlife, would be situated to the right when driving towards the boat ramp. The plan is to make four to six RV slots with water and electric hook-ups.
“Water and electric would be no trouble at all,” Riddle said.
The town’s wastewater treatment plant is located next to the site. Service could be turned off at the plant if flooding occurred there again, he said.
Riddle said he hopes the slots will offer 50 amps of power, versus the minimum 30 amps required. He also hopes to have picnic tables and grills installed.
Hill said he’s been trying to reach the right person to get approval through Wildlife for about two months and thinks he finally knows who to talk with about it.
He said the town would have to grade the gravel loop road and the RV slots, once graveled, for water runoff and take over their maintenance. Currently, the road surface is crush and run, a type of gravel that packs down hard.
The park is expected to attract RV and tent campers, kayakers, canoers and walkers. There would be a fee to camp.
“What we’re trying to do is generate revenue,” Riddle said.
Hill estimates the cost from $3,000 to $5,000, but said he will have more accurate figures if Wildlife gives the ok. It would not likely be completed before the fall, he said.
“Grifton has been very successful with theirs,” Hill said about converting a flood area to a waterside camping spot.
Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.