Pender County offers early look at new park
PENDER COUNTY (WWAY) — Pender County is inviting the community to get an early look at its newest recreation space before it officially opens to the public.
Pender Central Park, located off Highway 117, is designed to offer a wide range of amenities for residents across the county.
The first phase of construction is now underway and includes a new playground, a multi-purpose trail, and four multi-use athletic fields.
“In 2022, we did our Parks and Recreation Countywide Master Plan, which identified recreation needs for across the county for the next 10 years. This, of course, was one of the projects mentioned in it,” said Zachary White.
White said early discussions about the park date back to 2018, and the county received a half-million-dollar grant from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to help move the project forward.
“Obviously, we got the PARTF Grant, which was a grant from the North Carolina State Parks, and then, like getting to the groundbreaking, obviously, and actually seeing the recreational amenities come together, we’re excited about that,” said White.
Plans call for the park to be built out in three phases, with future additions that could include baseball and softball fields, a concert stage, and pickleball courts.
White said the project was driven by community demand and a growing population, with a focus on meeting long-term recreational needs.
“People want more space to play soccer, football, and even bring sports over to Western Pender, such as lacrosse,” said White.
With the size of the site, White said Parks and Recreation has been preparing for years to manage the expanded space.
“A park like this is, we’re taking on 60 extra acres of parkland, so we have we’ve been kind of gearing up for this for a number of years now. So, it does take more staff, and it does take more equipment. Obviously, time, fertilizer, you know, fire-ant treatment, there’s a lot that goes into this,” said White.
White said completion of the park was slightly delayed due to a switch from a septic system to sewer, and the goal is to open by late 2026.
