EDENTON — The town of Edenton has received a state grant for $391,437 to make improvements to Morgan Park, including a new sidewalk that will make the park more accessible for the handicapped.
The upgrades to Morgan Park at 106 Robin Lane will also include a pavilion that will be erected next to the existing playground to the north, and a resurfaced basketball court to the north of the pavilion, according to town officials. The sidewalk will be wheelchair accessible and serve as an access point for the park.
The town was awarded the state Accessible Parks Grant by the N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority earlier this month. The Accessible Parks Grant Program, administered through the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, provides $12.5 million in matching grants for parks and recreation for people living with disabilities.
The grant program funds the construction of special facilities or adaptation of existing facilities that meet the unique needs of people living with disabilities or that enable them to participate in recreational activities, regardless of their abilities.
Local governments can request a maximum of $500,000 with each application and must match the grant with at least one dollar of local funds for every five dollars in grant funds. The goal of the grant is to maximize access to recreation.
Edenton will match $1 for every $5 of its grant, meaning the town’s share will be about $97,859, making the project’s total cost just shy of $500,000. Funds for the town’s match will come from federal American Rescue Plan Act money Edenton has already set aside for park improvements.
“This grant award is a game-changer for our neighborhood parks overhaul,” Town Manager Corey Gooden said. “We are not only excited to move forward, but proud of everyone who came together to make this happen. This is just another step for us, we have much more work ahead toward fully upgrading all of our neighborhood parks.”
Earlier this month, the town completed the first phase of work on three Edenton parks: Paxton Lane Park, Griffith Park, and Stratford-Hawthorne Park. The second phase of improvements will include adding playground equipment and making parking, infrastructure, and security upgrades.
Two parks still need phase one improvements: Morgan Park and MLK Park. Morgan Park was selected for work now through the state grant because of its large size, isolation from other parks across Pembroke Creek, and the town staff’s “desire to bring unique amenities to each park,” according to town officials.
The town said it will continue working on MLK Park’s master plan. More information will be released as the project moves forward with contracts, groundbreaking and site work.
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