Mayor Eric McIntyre and the Columbus Town Council have announced the acquisition of 0.21 acres adjacent to Veterans Park in downtown Columbus. The land is located on the corner of Ward and Peak streets.

The town has been working on the acquisition for a while, and the transaction was completed on Thursday, November 4.

To make the purchase, the town used grant funds from the Polk County Community Foundation and the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, in addition to funds from many other community donors. A full list of these generous donors is available at Columbus Town Hall.

The Polk County Community Foundation provided three grants for the acquisition totaling $48,000. These grants were made available from the Bradley Community Benefits Fund and the Unrestricted Grants Fund. The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant provided $48,000 for the purchase, and other community donors provided a combined $2,125 to the cause through donations.

Town officials say they appreciate everyone who donated or who offered support to this effort, including the Celtic Tavern in Landrum, which hosted a fundraiser to benefit the park on April 10. The acquisition was a community effort and could not have been accomplished without this support. &bsp;

Veterans Park provides a community gathering place for many events. Families and local organizations use the park for special events, and it serves as a destination for honor and remembrance for more than 2,800 Polk County veterans.

Columbus is continuing the sale of bricks to honor veterans and to remember those who are deceased. For more information about how to honor a veteran and support the Veterans Park expansion project, contact Columbus Town Hall at 828-894-8236.