Downtown Raleigh's next park lands large grant from National Parks Service

A planned 14-acre park in downtown Raleigh has secured a key grant from the National Parks Service, promising to add valuable public outdoor space to a prominent area of the city.

Why it matters: Smoky Hollow Park would add more green space and a future trail to the northern entrance of downtown at the intersection of Peace Street and Capital Boulevard.

• But the project will require significant environmental remediation, as the area is currently completely paved and serves as a maintenance yard for city vehicles.

Driving the news: Raleigh will receive $8.7 million from the National Parks Service , part of which will support efforts to restore the Pigeon House Branch creek.

• The park also received funding from the 2022 parks bond passed by city voters. The project's total cost will be around $19 million.

Between the lines: The grant will help the city build out the park all at once, rather than in a phased approach, Stephen Bentley, Raleigh's director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, said.

• The park's trail will also sync up with existing and planned bike-and-pedestrian infrastructure in the future.

Zoom out: Raleigh has been investing heavily in its green space over the years. Still, the city dropped from 53rd last year for its public parks to 56th this year, according to the Trust for Public Land's annual ParkScore report .

• Both Raleigh and Durham fell below average for access, which indicates the percentage of city residents living within half a mile of a park, and in the equity category.

What's next: The Raleigh City Council approved an initial design for the park in May, but more advanced designs are expected to be completed this fall.

• Remediation and construction work could begin as soon as 2026.

Zoom out: Raleigh wasn't the only city to benefit from the National Parks Service.

• Garner was awarded $8.5 million to support the first phase of its 64-acre Yeargan Park project .

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