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Parks and recreation: mountain bike trail signage, Greenway reopening and Catawba Meadows design progress
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Summary
Parks and Recreation Director Brian Fish told council the city expects to open a mountain bike trail and large sections of the Greenway by late October or November, and outlined design and construction plans for Catawba Meadows, Bethel Park, and Shoey Park recovery work.
MORGANTON, N.C. — The Morganton City Council received a detailed parks and recreation update on Oct. 6 that outlined several near-term openings and larger reconstruction projects following storm damage.
Brian Fish, director of recreation, told the council that signage for the long-delayed mountain bike trail is in and that staff hope to install it “by the end of the month,” with a public opening possible in November. Fish said a segment of the Greenway behind Town Tavern that connects to the soccer complex will reopen immediately; the boardwalk to Catawba Meadows remains closed while design work continues.
Fish said staff expect to award design work for Catawba Meadows and the soccer complex “in the coming weeks.” The scope includes ball fields, restroom and concession buildings, a maintenance building and site work such as fencing and silt removal. He said the new maintenance building is planned for a site behind the nursery ball field so equipment can be stored out of the flood plain.
At Bethel Park, Fish reported that new pickleball and futsal courts are completed, playground equipment and shade structures are under construction, and bridge abutment work is under way before bridge installation and paving. He said the park’s restrooms are likely not to be completed until 2026 but that the park will open after paving and bridge installation.
Shoey Park has received multiple funding streams, Fish said, and the city has begun renovation work on concession and maintenance buildings. Later in the meeting the council approved purchases and FEMA reimbursements tied to Shoey Park recovery (see separate votes summary).
Fish provided participation numbers for fall youth sports: the flag football and soccer program currently has 208 participants, down from 268 the previous year; he said the reduction reflects limited field availability and the consolidation of activities at Shoey and Legion fields.
The recreation director also thanked staff and volunteers for maintenance and programming work and noted the city-run shooting range is busier than ever and open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
The council and staff discussed engineering procurement and FEMA procurement guidance for major park projects. City Manager Sally Sandy told the council the request-for-qualifications and request-for-proposal process for larger park engineering work produced multiple responses and that the city had shortlisted firms for interview. For one specific maintenance-building replacement at Catawba Meadows, staff recommended awarding design, bidding and construction engineering services to the selected firm; the council later approved that contract.
Fish’s remarks were largely informational; several capital and contract decisions tied to park recovery were taken later on the agenda.
