Fayetteville parks projects: Some to open soon, others still searching for money

This spring will see the opening of a new senior center off Murchison Road and the completion of a neighborhood park in east Fayetteville, a city official overseeing construction told City Council members at a meeting last week. Meanwhile, a large tennis complex off Bragg Boulevard faces delays.

Senior Center East off Murchison Road near Fayetteville State University is “very close,” said Rob Stone, the construction management director for the city. He spoke during the council’s work session Feb. 5, and said supply chain issues and waiting on windows to be delivered had delayed construction.

More: Pitts: Fayetteville opens senior center with lake view; tennis complex in future

Still, he said he expected “substantial completion” by mid-month, with planning for an opening to start soon. He had just recently seen the windows delivered, he said.

The city and parks department opened the Bill Crisp Senior Center in west Cumberland County in October 2022.

“That is a very well-accepted, well-used facility,” Stone said.

At the work session, Stone presented the council a report card of parks and recreation projects. Most were connected to a $40 million bond passed by city voters in 2016.

Here is a look at what else is coming.

Mazarick Tennis Center: Delays but some good news

The center has faced delays based on costs and design issues and will soon be back out for bid, Stone said. Once the bidding process — which could take two months — is complete, the projected completion date would be 12 to 14 months from then.

Stone said the lighting is up and people can see where the tennis courts will go. The facility will include standard courts, a championship center court and pickleball courts, as well as a clubhouse.

Higher construction costs led to a change in design and materials. But there is a bright spot.

“The good news is we’ll have the tennis courts actually done, and we’ll be able to be playing tennis, even while the building is being completed,” he said.

Councilman D.J. Haire said the tennis complex “is going to be one of our show places.” The facility can attract tournaments, he said.

“We hope to get the students and people coming in from across the country.”

McArthur Road Sports Complex: 75 acres, big money

The sports complex that is meant to draw large tournaments is in search of more funding, Stone said. The center would be located just inside Fort Liberty off Interstate 295.

The project has an approved budget of $3.5 million, but a full buildout will cost about $19 million, Stone said.

“Remember this is almost a 75-acre site,” he told the council.

The city applied for a federal grant in June but did not receive it, Stone said. Staff was looking for other funding options, he said.

He said “hopefully,” the parks department would have news by the next report.

Said Stone: “The amount of fields we need to make this a working tournament-type play field, we don’t have that funding available at the moment.”

Dorothy Gilmore Therapeutic Recreation Center

A major renovation on the center on Purdue Drive was completed in October, adding more than 3,000 square feet and a new interactive sensory room. The center is designed to focus on people with special needs.

Mable C. Smith Park: A late spring completion

The main building for Mable C. Smith Park, named for the popular east Fayetteville activist and politician, is under construction and has faced challenges, said Stone. He said the contractor did not have as much experience as city officials had hoped with the kind of design the project calls for.

More: Pitts: An East Fayetteville fighter, a splash pad and a new building. What to know.

Still, Stone said he expected the project to wrap up in May.

“It’s moving along now,” he said.

Cape Fear River Park: Saving costs

With a budget of $2.3 million, the park on the river would cost an estimated $9 million. City officials were in the process of working with the designer to get plans adjusted within the budget.

“One of the key items was access to water,” said Stone, who noted that parks staff had met with a wildlife official.

One cost-saving measure is for the park to share a parking lot with a nearby church, Stone said. The parks department would repave and expand the lot and make other investments, Michael Gibson, parks and rec director, told the council.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Park: Spire location a tie-up

Progress on the park off Murchison Road is stalled over an apparent disagreement between the city and parks department and the MLK Committee over the location of the 120-foot spire that is to be the park’s central feature.

The current proposed location would sit in a floodway and also be located too near a water line and sewer line, according to city officials, who want to move the foundation.

Haire asked Gibson, “Are they accepting that it has to move?”

Gibson answered, “No, they are not.”

Later Councilman Deno Hondros said: “I’d say we are at an impasse.”

Myron B. Pitts can be reached at mpitts@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3559.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville parks projects include new senior center, tennis center