Consultant: Havelock parks plan on track; public input and grants to guide recommendations

Nate Halubka of McGill Associates told the Havelock Board of Commissioners the city’s Comprehensive Parks & Recreation Master Plan is currently in the data collection and assessment phase and is progressing ahead of schedule. He said recommendations will follow completion of public engagement and analysis, with an anticipated completion date in late 2026.

Halubka reviewed engagement methods including a project website, public input meetings, focus groups, a statistically valid survey and an open community survey, and urged commissioners to promote participation so the plan reflects broad community representation. He also presented benchmarking that showed Havelock exceeds the national median in park acreage but has fewer trail miles and multi-use fields than comparable cities; those findings will be considered alongside community preferences before final recommendations.

Commissioners discussed prioritizing baseball/softball facilities, multi-use fields and trails. Halubka identified potential funding sources — state and federal grants, Land and Water Conservation Fund grants, nonprofit partnerships and private donations — and noted opportunities to pursue Defense Community Infrastructure Program funding tied to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point for projects benefitting military families and residents. The board was asked to complete a Parks and Recreation SWOT analysis and submit it to Interim City Manager Cindy Morgan by July 17 for inclusion in McGill’s work.