The City of Greenville Recreation and Parks Department received a boost in its efforts to develop the city's newest park on Friday when it was named one of 41 recipients of a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant.
The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources announced that the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) Authority has approved $28.6 million in capital improvement projects and land acquisitions for state parks and an additional $13.6 million in grants to fund local parks and recreation projects across the state.
Greenville will receive $481,350 for development of Wildwood Park, which opened its first phase in October of 2021.
"We are very excited and grateful to receive the PARTF grant for Wildwood Park," Recreation and Parks Director Don Octigan said. "Thanks to our many partners in this project, such as Grady White Boats, being awarded the PARTF reimbursement grant will allow for the further development of the park in 2022. The Parks and Recreation Authority does a great job managing the grant application process and have many difficult decisions each year. We are thankful for their support along with many other valuable statewide resources, such as the Recreation Resources Services, who help guide departments across North Carolina."
Wildwood Park, located just north of the Tar River, includes more than 360 acres of land and two ponds for outdoor recreation and water activities. The park currently includes natural surface trails, a floating dock with boat slips, a kayak launch, outdoor shelters, camping platforms, and a sandy beach.
Future development at Wildwood Park will include mountain bike trails, boardwalks, a bicycle skills course, bridges, an observation tower and trail connections to River Park North.
"Parks Planner Mark Nottingham did an outstanding job managing the PARTF application process for the City, and we look forward to future grant applications to assist with the development of Wildwood Park and other Recreation and Parks initiatives," Octigan said.
