A project that will create treehouses with overnight accommodations is underway through a $95,000 grant from the McCrory administration to the town of Windsor. The water-based recreation project, located next to the historic Cashie River, will create the first fully handicap accessible treehouse village.
The funding was used for land acquisition, a boardwalk, and construction of the tree houses. Town officials plan to launch an online reservation system for booking overnight stays in the treehouses. The project is expected to be completed in Oct. 2016.
The project will create handicap compatible access to the Cashie River and the first compatible tree houses and “treezebo” observation deck adjacent to a North Carolina blueway. A blueway is a water path or trail that is developed with launch points, camping locations and points of interest for canoeists, paddle boarders and kayakers.
Water-based recreational benefits of the project include:
- Ongoing ecotourism efforts in the region,
- Giving individuals with diverse needs access to the Cashie River, and
- Supporting the town in implementing improvements to the adjacent Elm Street Campground.
The water resources grant program provides funding and technical assistance to local governments in North Carolina. Applications are accepted for general and recreational navigation, water management, stream restoration, beach protection, land acquisition and development of water-based recreation facilities.
The full list of grant recipients from the fall 2015 cycle and more information about how to apply for funding can be found at: http://www.ncwater.org/?page=7.
For more information, contact Darren England with the N.C. Division of Water Resources at 919-707-9013, or darren.england@ncdenr.gov.