Hope Mills Parks & Recreation outlines programs, events, grant successes and facility priorities

Parks & Recreation Director Lamarco Morrison presented a departmental overview to the Town of Hope Mills Board of Commissioners, detailing staffing, program offerings, large community events, participation counts, grant funding and capital-improvement priorities.

Morrison said the department is organized into four divisions: administration, athletics, special events, and maintenance, and named staff who lead each area. "The Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department strives to provide a multiple a multitude of recreational provisions to the community," Morrison said, reading the department mission.

Administrative assistant Brenda Williams described day-to-day duties including answering phones, maintaining advisory board minutes, managing boat permits for Hope Mills Lake and preparing the monthly managers report. Williams said she attends department head meetings and the parks advisory board and produces monthly reports that feed into the managers' report.

Operations and programs supervisor Tandre Wilkins emphasized safety and inclusion, outlined regular hours (Monday'Friday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday rentals, closed Sundays), and highlighted daily activities such as open play pickleball, fitness, and open gym. Wilkins said the department served 7,838 participants in 2025 and invited residents to participate in a community daily activities survey.

Programs coordinator Brandon Mlan said there are 33 program instructors and announced upcoming events including a July Great Hope Mills Barbecue Throwdown and discounted early-bird tickets for the 55-plus demographic. Special events lead Megan summarized annual staples (Independence Day kickoff and parade, Christmas at the Lake, trucks & stuff) and said large summer events average roughly 3,000 people in the park.

Assistant athletics director Maxi Dove reported spring registrations (baseball 538, softball 230, indoor soccer 234, 63 wrestlers) and said opening day for athletics will be April 11 at Brower Park; staff will host the District 11 baseball tournament.

Morrison highlighted funding achievements: nearly $3 million in grant funding for park development and roughly $400,000 in department-generated revenue to date. He listed CIP priorities including Lake Park improvements, Heritage Park phase two and Ed Herring Park improvements and said the department will continue pursuing grant opportunities.

On partnerships, Morrison described leasing and programming agreements with the TJ Robertson Life Center and said the collaboration has been helpful for youth programming. Commissioner Hamilton raised constituent safety complaints about an existing playground near a road and chain-link fence; Morrison said engineers will prepare cross-sections and buffering options to address safety and stormwater runoff concerns.

The presentation closed after staff answered commissioner questions; the board took a five-minute recess before the regular meeting.