Up & Coming Weekly

September 10, 2019

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019 UCW 23 Hope Mills News & Views NEWS Hope Mills offering specialized CPR classes by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Public input needed on Heritage Park's future by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Citizen input is crucial as the town of Hope Mills rolls out initial plans for the proposed Heritage Park. The meeting to get public input will be held Thursday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. at the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Building The park is to be con- structed on land near the current dam and stretch down to property where the former Episcopal Church is located. The preliminary goal is to create a natural green space with hiking trails while also adding kiosks that will tell the story of the area near the dam. Ancient dam gates from years past, which are standing near the proposed entry to the park, will also be put on permanent display. Hope Mills town manager Melissa Adams said the town is using the same process it did to get input from citizens on what to do with the golf course property the town owns. "This is a kickoff meeting,'' she said. "We are involving the Appearance Committee, the Parks and Recreation Committee, the Lake Advisory Committee and the Historic Preservation Commission, along with the public.'' Adams said the purpose of the meeting is to gather information on what the public and the various committees would like to see in Heritage Park. There is a tentative plan for the park that was drawn up by people from North Carolina State. It calls for a green space with trails, kiosks with educational signage and the old dam gates. The goal is to connect the property entrance area on Lakeview Road with the Episcopal Church prop- erty on Main Street. The only difference between this meeting and the one involving plans for the golf course is there won't be as many options to discuss with Heritage Park because it's a much smaller space. Adams said the golf course has many more ameni- ties over its some 90 acres while Heritage Park only takes up six or seven acres. "We can't cram but so much in there,'' Adams said. One thing that has been discussed is some kind of picnic area at Heritage Park, Adams said. She added that the trails designed for Heritage Park would not be a flat walking surface like the walk near town hall but are hilly and natural. "It's extremely important for the public to come and give their input and take a look at every- thing,'' Adams said. "This is just the beginning stages of it. "We'd like very much for as many people to come as possible.'' For questions prior to the meeting, Adams said people should contact Lamarco Morrison at 910-424-4555. For the first time, the town of Hope Mills is offering CPR training to two groups of people who can really benefit from it, babysitters and new parents of small children and infants. Kasey Ivey of the Parks and Recreation Department said the idea was presented to her by Jamie Krusinski, a registered nurse and certified CPR instructor. In addition to basic CPR training, topics including clearing obstructed airways and working with AEDs will be covered. "There are a lot of similar things, but some are just geared toward the two different groups of people,'' Ivey said. Ivey said Krusinski will bring an AED to the training sessions to show both the babysit- ters and the parents how it works and how to operate it. An important part of the AED training is to teach everyone, especially the younger people, not to be afraid of the AED and to understand it can save a person's life. Ivey said the entire program was designed by Krusinski. Each class will be limited to a maximum of nine participants. Each class is self-contained, not a series, so you only have to go to one to get the full effect of the training. "It's the first time we are trying this so we will see how it goes,'' Ivey said. She added it's important for the town to offer this kind of training. "It's a life skill,'' she said. "It can be used in so many different settings. It's an important thing to help strengthen the commu- nity with lifelong learning.'' Ivey said she's been certified in CPR since 2006. "To have that basic knowledge and skill set between the time an incident occurs and before emergency personnel get there is critical time when you could save someone's life, if you have the knowledge and skill,'' she said. All those completing one of the programs will get a two-year certificate in CPR through the American Heart Association. They will have to repeat the training once the certificate expires to be certified again. A minimum of two people must sign up for a class to be held. For the new parent class the cost is $65 per person or $60 each if both parents or guardians attend. The cost for the babysitter class is $75 per person. There is an age limit of 11 and up for the baby sitter class. The babysitter classes will all be on Saturdays, Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 from 1-4 p.m. each day. New parent classes are the same days with hours from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. For questions contact Ivey at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation, 910-426-4109. Training for how to work an artificial external defibrillator, also known as an AED, will be part of the Hope Mills CPR training. Closeup of the old dam gates An entry way to the proposed Heritage Park

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