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Wake County highlights parks, library bond and biotech investments in State of the County remarks
Summary
Commissioners and Chair Evans highlighted new parks and renovations, a $142 million library bond to fund multiple library projects, and major private biotech investments that have created thousands of jobs and large capital commitments to the county.
Commissioner Sophia Jackson and Chair Susan Evans used the State of the County event to highlight recent and upcoming investments in parks, libraries and economic development.
Jackson noted the March ribbon-cutting for Beach Bluff County Park, a 300‑acre park in Willow Spring with a canopy walk, community garden, playground and four miles of trail. She said construction will begin soon on Kellum Wyeth County Park (a 59‑acre site near Knightdale) and that the county approved schematic designs for Lake Myra County Park, with an anticipated opening in 2027 for that project.
Evans and other speakers described library usage and a capital plan supported by voters: the county’s 2024 bond referendum provided $142 million to build two new libraries, replace three, expand one and renovate seven locations; Evans said the county will make a dashboard available so residents can track project status. She also emphasized the role libraries play as community hubs and reported more than 3,000,000 library visits in the fiscal year cited.
On economic development, Commissioner Shanika Thomas and Evans highlighted recent private investments: Genentech’s planned pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Holly Springs (projected to create more than 400 jobs and invest over $700 million), Fujifilm Biotechnologies’ new facility and expansions by Amgen and Biogen. The speakers said private-sector investments and county partnerships have supported thousands of jobs and substantial capital investment.
Evans framed parks, libraries and business recruitment as complementary pieces of a strategy to sustain quality of life and job growth across Wake County. Several of the projects Evans described require continued municipal or private‑sector cooperation and future budget or contract actions.
