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Goldsboro staff outline timeline, public input and funding options for parks and recreation master plan
Summary
City staff and consultants updated council on the comprehensive Parks & Recreation Master Plan under way, described Phase 1 inventory work, Phase 2 recommendations including staffing and a 10‑year capital plan, and said the draft plan should return to council by November.
Goldsboro — City staff and consultants told the Goldsboro City Council that the city’s comprehensive Parks & Recreation Master Plan is moving from inventory and public input into the recommendation phase, with a draft expected to return to council for review and adoption no later than November.
Felicia Brown, the staff lead on the project, said Phase 1 (FY25) included an inventory of parks and amenities, demographic and land‑use review, steering‑committee meetings and public input including an online survey and in‑person events. "The last time we had updated this plan was back in 2012," Brown said. "We do expect for the plan to be completed before this calendar year is out...we will be bringing the plan back to you all for you to review and adopt no later than November of this year."
What the plan covers: McGill Associates is the consultant team; Phase 2 will include recommendations on maintenance practices, programming and funding strategies, a 10‑year capital improvement plan, and staffing level evaluations. Brown told council the consultant will provide site‑specific notes that can strengthen grant applications.
Public input and priorities: Brown reported that an indoor aquatic facility was a top vote‑getter in public input across districts; she also said pickleball drew heavy interest at some in‑person engagement. Council members raised maintenance and usage concerns: one councilmember noted city parks are heavily used — including by non‑city residents — and suggested the council consider resident/nonresident fee differentials and other funding mechanisms.
Site‑level issues raised: Council members asked whether the master plan addresses lighting and aging systems at Hermann Park; Brown confirmed lighting deficiencies are already noted in the plan. She said the city can pursue grants such as the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PART) where competitive awards can be up to $500,000 and in‑kind match (labor) can be used.
Next steps: The consultant will compile findings, deliver a draft to staff for comment, then present the draft to council for adoption. Brown said the draft will also be presented to the Recreation Advisory Commission and the public; staff encouraged council members to meet one‑on‑one with the consultant or attend community outreach sessions.
Speakers quoted in this article are Felicia Brown (parks and recreation project lead) and representatives of McGill Associates were referenced by staff as the consultant delivering the plan.
