THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, February 14, 1995             TAG: 9502140285
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   46 lines

BEACH AND WATER ACCESS IN AREA ARE FOCUS OF $140,500 IN GRANTS

New public beach and water access construction is provided in $140,500 in joint state and local grants for three Albemarle communities announced Monday by Gov. James B. Hunt Jr.

The largest area grant will go to Currituck County, which will construct a regional oceanfront access facility at Pine Island on the Outer Banks. It will cost a total of $100,000. Of the funding, $60,000 will come from state money and the remainder from ``local matching funds.''

The Pine Island project will provide ``a handicapped accessible bathhouse; a boardwalk-walkway; steps to the beach; 32 parking places and security lights,'' Hunt said.

Hertford, in Perquimans County, will receive $30,000 to improve the Missing Mill Park waterfront facility by adding 22 parking spaces, a concrete sidewalk, a boardwalk, benches and litter receptacles. The state grant will amount to $22,500, and local matching funds will be $7,500.

Elizabeth City will spend $10,000 to build a public walkway that will connect Mariners' Wharf with Waterfront Park on the Pasquotank River by providing access through the private Waterworks development. The state will provide $7,500; local matching funds will amount to $2,500.

In 1981, the General Assembly created a public beach and waterfront access program to help with matching funds for better public use of state recreational facilities. The state grants are administered by the Division of Coastal Management of the N.C. Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources.

``Our coastal waters belong to all of our citizens and everyone has a right to enjoy them,'' Hunt said. ``But people can't enjoy them if they can't get to them.''

A statewide total of $254,509 in grants to eight communities was included in the announcement and, with matching funds, the governor said the money will create $648,426 in public access construction.

New Bern got the largest state grant of $76,000 to improve a park at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers. The city will put up matching money for the park. by CNB