Ranger – The Mountain Folk Center, closed for more than three years because drainage problems have damaged its horse arena, may have found a savior: Everyone.
Dr. Dan Eichenbaum, chair of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners, added the folk center issue to the board’s March 17 agenda, saying the facility is one of the most important in the county.
He said grants are too complicated and take too long to secure, and called on volunteers to come forward with their heavy equipment to help regrade property and re-channel drainage. He hoped to have the facility up and running this spring.
It turned out Eichenbaum wasn’t the only one with something like that in mind. Fellow commissioners offered additional suggestions.
Saddle clubs and horse enthusiasts are equally eager to have a place to hold horse events and 4H programs. They are willing and able to volunteer labor and help raise money if it means not having to travel to other counties – and even other states – in order to hold events.
Even Tri-County Community College may help. Paul Worley, director of economic and workforce development at the college, said students and heavy equipment from the college’s heavy equipment program could help out as a class project.
As the meeting progressed, it was hard to find someone not willing to chip in.
The 33-acre site, at 9275 U.S. 64 West in Ranger, was obtained by the county in 1975 and has also hosted a farmers market as well. The facility includes a horse arena with announcers booth and bleachers, as well as an agricultural center building.
A county-own industrial park sits beside the folk center.
Drainage problems continued to damage the main arena, making it unusable. County officials have looked at ways to deal with the problem but looked at the prospect of solutions costing tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars – unreachable without help from grants.
Eichenbaum said a full-scale volunteer effort would be the fastest way to fix issues at the facility, adding that once it is up and running, it will attract saddle clubs from throughout the region.
County officials are working with the various groups to organize the volunteer effort. No timeline has been announced, other than Eichenbaum’s goal for a spring reopening.