South Point HS

The current heatwave and drought conditions are making life difficult hereabouts. Sports have been shuffled, a/c units breaking down, and fire hydrants are chasing dogs over in Pinsto and Amity Acres. Today (Thursday) was 102 with heat index of 107; yesterday was 101 and heat index of 104. Tomorrow (Friday, the 10th) is supposed to be cooler, just about 99 or so — yeah, right.

Still no rain.

Belmont is in a Stage One Water Alert. That means you only are allowed to water twice per week — whatever. Don’t waste the water, people ! The only really green grass around here is on the Lineberger Stadium field at South Point HS.

(Lower Tennis Courts at Davis Park) 

Last night, well, late last night, we were sitting on The Front Porch, and some of kid’s friends were talking about the Belmont Skatepark that was discussed more than a couple of years ago. Yes, in the 77 degree, 11:30 PM nighttime heat.

Anyway, the teens were asking about what happened. We explained to them that the city council had approved a bond referendum to designate funds for the skatepark construction. One young man, said, “in my lifetime?”, “yes” was the response. The original location was supposed to be the lower tennis courts at Davis Park, who knows now what the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee will do…

$115,000 of the proposed $12 million dollar Parks and Recreation Bond package will be directed to this project. Not in time for one of the best skaters in Belmont though, Phillip Nguyen.

The space is a great place to put a park such as this. We hope that it will be dedicated to Phillip.

Tuesday night, the Gaston County Commissioners passed the formal resolution to hold a School Bond Referendum on November 6.

The amount the school system is asking to raise is $175 million for new construction, renovation, and school land acquisition.

This is a critical need in the eastern portion of Gaston County, both East Gaston HS and South Point HS are over capacity with hundreds of students literally living in trailers on both campuses.

With all of the exploding residential growth in the area, this bond is critical and in our opinion, needs passage in November.