Pender County accepting public comment on updated 10 year park plan
Pender County Parks and Recreation hopes to put a new 10-year plan into motion after sharing an update with commissioners on Monday afternoon.
BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — Pender County Parks and Recreation hopes to put a new 10-year plan into motion after sharing an update with commissioners on Monday afternoon.
Earlier this year, the Parks and Recreation Board as well as the Planning Board approved the updated 2022-2032 Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Now, the Parks and Recreation staff is accepting public comment before sending the plan’s final draft to commissioners for approval.
Long Term Planner Vanessa Lacer says they’ve considered everything from picnic tables, property, programs, and population growth. According to the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management, Pender County’s population is expected to grow by 20-percent by 2030. That’s about 12,000 people in under a decade.
“We’re getting ahead of it number one. We’ve identified the growth,” Lacer said. “We’re looking at acquiring land. One of the main recommendations of this plan is to be acquiring land for future facilities. That’s going to be really important the more people move here and the less land there is eventually.”
Staff didn’t just consider future residents. They spoke to current residents and stakeholders to find out what they would like to see. After speaking to several groups and taking surveys, they found people want to see more walking, jogging, hiking, and biking trails. Lacer says they also expressed interest in more concerts and other programs.
“We made a point of reaching out to folks that aren’t necessarily represented always in surveys. We even looked to see, after we got survey results, who’s missing, who needs to be at the table?” Lacer said. “We really wanted to make sure that everyone’s voice was heard because at the end of the day they are our customers and they are going to be the ones enjoying these parks. It’s their lives that are going to be enriched by these programs and facilities.”
If you would like to share your thoughts on the plan, visit here. The county is accepting comments until March 22 and will hold a public hearing next month to make their final decision on the plan.
