Lenoir County moves forward with Caswell Site lease for recreation project
The Lenoir County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to approve a lease agreement with the State of North Carolina for a portion of the Richard Caswell Memorial Historic Site, paving the way for a new public recreation project in Kinston.
The site, located adjacent to the Kinston Community Center on Vernon Avenue, is set to include new amenities such as walking trails, a kayak launch, and a disc golf course. County officials said the project is a direct outcome of their recent strategic planning efforts.
“We propose a new county recreation project on that site,” said Planning Director Adam Short. “This is taken from your strategic planning retreat, if you will recall. The proposal is to add some new park amenities… and hopefully do something with that facility there that used to cover the gunboat a long time ago.”
The structure referenced was originally constructed by the N.C. Department of Transportation. Short noted its durability and said it may be repurposed as part of the park. He also emphasized the project’s broader significance, tying it to ongoing efforts like the county’s Riverwalk project and upcoming master plan.
“This is complementary to the Caswell site,” Short said. “As the 250th [anniversary] approaches, we’re hoping these state sites have more of a park component.”
Commissioners welcomed the progress and acknowledged the lengthy process involved in negotiating the lease.
“This is one of those things… anytime you’re doing anything with the government, it does get convoluted,” said Chair Linda Rouse Sutton. “But we appreciate the staff for having the fortitude to keep going.”
Sutton added the project would be “a wonderful addition to my old camp.”
With the lease agreement now approved, county staff will begin working on site design and next steps for the project.
Neuse News is a locally-owned small business startup in downtown Kinston. Our goal is to provide free, hyper-local news to Lenoir, Greene and Jones counties. The kind of news our grandparents read in a format fit for today's times.
We provide this by having supportive advertisers and we encourage you to click on their ads, shop with them, and eat with them. Every bit of financial support is important to help us sustain free, hyper-local news.
Please consider supporting Neuse News with as little as $5 one-time or via a monthly option. Every little bit helps us, help you.
