ELKIN—Elkin leaders are thrilled about the town’s new partnership with the National Guard armory.
"We voted to donate three and a half acres of property for their motor pool,” said town commissioner Cicely McCulloch. “It's going to be on a property that they will give us an easement for our sewer line to get to three other businesses in that area."
"It's going to help us particularly in running sewer to people who have to have pumps to get their sewer to work, or have problems with getting the sewer,” said Mayor Lestine Hutchens. “It will help the citizens with that, and will help the National Guard with parking their equipment."
The three and a half acre expansion will take place in an area behind the armory building.
"They're going to triple in size,” Hutchens said. “Most of it's going to be an area to park their heavy duty equipment."
The expansion is also a part of the National Guard's plan to consolidate some of its offices around the state.
Guard leaders in Elkin say the reason they chose Elkin is because it's located in a geographically important part of the state, and equipment storage facilities at the armory are insufficient.
Local leaders hope the project will spur economic development here.
"That will bring people to the area for the weekend when they're doing maneuvers and that sort of thing,” Hutchens said. “It will help restaurants and hotels when they come in."
There is word yet on when construction on the expansion will begin.