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Board approves schematic design for Lake Myra County Park; construction planned from 2026 with phased opening
Summary
Commissioners approved the schematic design for Lake Myra County Park, a new eastern‑Wake facility funded by the 2018 parks bond with an estimated phase‑1 budget of $20–21 million and planned construction procurement in early 2026.
The Wake County Board of Commissioners approved the schematic design for Lake Myra County Park June 16 and directed staff to proceed to final design with the goal of bidding the project in the first quarter of 2026 and opening phase‑1 facilities in late 2027.
Project managers presented the site and schematic plan. Eric Staley, project manager with Facilities Design and Construction, said Lake Myra will be a new park in eastern Wake County sited on over 300 acres the county purchased in 2007. The master‑plan process included three in‑person community meetings and large online survey participation; project staff reported about 300 in‑person attendees across meetings and more than 8,200 survey responses.
Phase 1 priorities identified by the public and reflected in the schematic design include a park center building with flexible classrooms and exhibit space, picnic shelters and restrooms, playground, open‑play areas, a boathouse with floating dock, fishing pier, boardwalk bridge connecting the east and west parcels, trails and parking. Designers said sustainable strategies under consideration include green stormwater infrastructure, photovoltaics, geothermal heat pumps, permeable pavers and native plant restoration. The schematic anticipates a phase‑1 project budget in the $20–21 million range funded primarily from the 2018 parks bond; staff said they will pursue grants and refine the estimate during final design.
Architectural highlights presented by Miranda Potthoff include a park center designed for daylighting, high‑performance glazing, roof overhangs for shading and a roof form intended to accommodate future rooftop photovoltaics; classrooms are flexible and can combine into larger spaces for group programs. Project staff said the maintenance facility and boathouse design emphasize durability and appropriate systems for water‑adjacent structures.
Commissioner Jackson moved to approve schematic design for Lake Myra County Park; Commissioner Thomas seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Staff said the board’s approval clears the project to enter final design, continued community engagement and permitting with a procurement target in early 2026 and an opening target in late 2027 for built phase‑1 components.
The board and staff discussed reuse of cleared wood where possible, playground shade options, ADA accessibility, community programming and potential grant funding sources for portions of the project.
