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Applicant: A. T. Allen Project Narrative For "Fitness Track" at A. T. Allen Elementary, 3939 Abilene Rd, Concord, 28025 1. Project Description: Our proposed project is a % mile fitness walking track within our existing playing fields. The track is designed to be 6 feet wide composed of 1,800 linear feet of concrete at a cost of $18,000. This track will provide opportunities for safe fitness activities for students, staff, and the surrounding community. The track supports the Be Well Initiative for students and faculty developed by the State Department of North Carolina. Although we opened the replacement A. T. Allen School at the present site in August of 2010, the outside fitness areas are inadequate to fully meet the physical activity needs for a school designed to serve 1000 students. Further, there are no other similar facilities in the A. T. Allen community. This means that even in this rural setting, there are no safe fitness areas for the Allen citizens. The surrounding area has no sidewalks and the busy, winding roads are unsafe for pedestrians. Our school was built to serve 1000 students. We have almost 900 students on campus now with expectations that the school's population will grow as the surrounding areas become more developed. Currently, we serve a highly "at- risk" student population. Our school serves the largest number of at -risk students of any elementary school in the Cabarrus County School system. For the most part, our students have limited access to safe areas for outdoor activities in their neighborhoods. The addition of the fitness track will mean that approximately 1,000 students, staff, and community members will use the track on a daily basis Monday through Friday. Additionally, the track will be open to the public after school hours and on the weekends. Within a five mile radius of our school, a large population have limited or no access to fitness sites (population within 5 mile radius = 36, 466). We believe that the addition of a fitness track on our school site will enable us to positively impact the health and well being of a large portion of the citizens in this part of Cabarrus County. 2. Project Planning: A. T. Allen's PTO has raised and saved for this project for several years in anticipation of moving to the new facility. The intention behind the fundraising was not only school use but also community use. Our parents and neighbors are eager to see a fitness track on the A. T. Allen campus. 3. Public Involvement: Over the last five years, A. T. Allen's PTO has planned for this project by holding various fundraisers and sales, McAllen Nights, donations from area grocery and retail stores, etc. 4. Operation and Maintenance: Cabarrus County Schools Maintenance & Facilities will maintain the track and surrounding play areas. 5. Citizens Served: During the school day, approximately 1,000 students and staff will have access to the fitness track. Additionally, the extended Allen community will have access to the track after school hours and on weekends. The track will be handicap accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In summation, the paved track is designed to meet the needs of all ages from strollers to seniors, as well as walkers to wheel chairs. Attachment number 4 F -7 Page 151