Lenoir City council adopts parks and recreation master plan, enabling grant pursuit for $7.7M in improvements

The Lenoir City Council voted to adopt a five-year Parks and Recreation master plan on May 11, 2026, a move city officials said is needed to pursue grants for capital projects.

Jack Qualls, who presented the plan, said the city conducted roughly 660 surveys and a park-by-park inventory to form recommendations. "We identified probably, $7,700,000 worth of improvements that can be done with these parks," Qualls said, calling for improved connectivity, targeted investments in high-demand amenities and a multi-year capital strategy.

Qualls said about 46% of survey respondents live inside city limits and that more than half of respondents use city parks one to three times per week. The plan grades amenities by condition, lists short- and long-term priorities and recommends a clear capital improvement strategy tied to funding availability.

Mayor (speaker 1) and council members noted the citys limited operating revenues for parks. Qualls estimated the parks and recreation operating budget at roughly $1,200,000, of which about $200,000 is generated from fees and other revenue. He and others said the service is not self-sustaining and will rely on grants and partnerships for larger projects.

Council members discussed funding sources, including ARPA and state grants, and the mayor suggested seeking help from the citys state senator to pursue additional funds. After discussion, a motion to adopt the master plan passed in a roll-call vote called by the mayor.

Adoption allows the city to submit applications for grant programs that often require an adopted parks master plan as part of eligibility. Council members did not specify timelines for specific capital projects; officials said priorities will be implemented as funding becomes available.