Grant Program Supports Community Preservation Efforts in Volusia County, FL

Jeff Adkins

In the late ’90s, a group of Volusia County residents asked their neighbors to support an initiative to enhance the area’s environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor (ECHO) recreation resources. Just over half of voters approved the creation of the Volusia ECHO program back in 2000. But by 2020, roughly three-quarters voted to keep it. 

“There’s something profoundly moving about a community willing to invest their own money to preserve and enhance these vital aspects of life in Volusia County,” says Daniel Marsh, ECHO program manager. “It’s what makes our county unique and why we are lucky to call Volusia County our home.” 

The Volusia ECHO grants enable acquisition, restoration, construction or improvement of public access projects throughout the Greater Daytona Region. The program continues to help organizations leave a lasting legacy. 

“Our nonprofit and municipal partners can apply for up to $2.5 million for grant funds to support their project,” Marsh says, adding that the ECHO program transparency dashboard provides an overview of projects, funding sources and other important information. 

Projects involving the Athens Theatre in DeLand, Jackie Robinson Ballpark and Museum in Daytona Beach, the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, DeBary Hall in DeBary and Pictona in Holly Hill rank among the program’s success stories. But many beneficiaries exist throughout Greater Daytona. 

Mike Arman

Building a Hall for History 

The City of Oak Hill has received five ECHO grants, which have assisted in the creation of Sunrise Park as well as improvements to the baseball field, playground and other amenities at Mary DeWees Park. However, the first grant provided nearly $150,000 for the restoration of the Village Improvement Association Hall. 

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this octagonal structure has been a central meeting place since its construction in 1906. After being moved to the center of town by a team of horses, it played an important role in local history, serving as a town hall, school, dance hall and a workshop where local fishermen would stop to repair their nets. 

The City Commission declared the VIA Hall to be a historical building in 2007. When storms damaged the structure in 2008, the city applied for a Volusia ECHO grant to renovate, complete electrical and plumbing upgrades, and add restrooms and a kitchen. 

The VIA Hall has undergone many iterations over the years, but recently, it has transformed into the Oak Hill Historical Museum. This celebrates the area’s unique history, says Mike Arman, economic development director for the City of Oak Hill. 

“It brings the community together very nicely – everyone who has seen it falls in love with it,” Arman says. “We’ve had some accidental tourist drop-ins, and they are delighted at finding this unexpected jewel of a historical museum.” 

Jeff Adkins

Education for the Environment 

The Lyonia Environmental Center in Deltona helps visitors learn about Volusia County’s beautiful natural environment, along with its heritage and challenges. After 16 years, some exhibits had become outdated or stopped working. An ECHO grant provided the funds needed to design, fabricate and install two new exhibit areas in the main gallery. 

“One exhibit area will demonstrate the importance of scrub habitat for its threatened and endemic plant and animal species and for its role in the aquifer recharge,” says Christie Miller, manager of the LEC. “Another exhibit area will feature aspects of sustainability, including an interactive wind and solar energy display, a green-versus-gray infrastructure demonstration, and a game to show what each person can do.” 

Jeff Adkins

The upgrades will help LEC provide a more engaging experience to its visitors, which include numerous field trips, homeschool groups, scout groups and summer campers. 

This will also encourage more people to visit the Lyonia Preserve, a stunning 360-acre scrub habitat that’s home to scrub jays, gopher tortoises and more. 

“The LEC will use Volusia ECHO funds to construct an ADA-compliant boardwalk from our garden area to the pavilion in the Lyonia Preserve,” Miller says. “This will provide anyone with mobility challenges with the opportunity to be out in scrub habitat.” 

For projects like these, the Volusia ECHO program will continue to offer key support into the future. 

“The Volusia ECHO Program is poised to evolve and will continue supporting environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor recreational projects in Volusia County,” Marsh says. 

“As community needs grow and priorities shift, the program is well-positioned to adapt and remain a vital resource for enhancing the quality of life for Volusia County residents.”