Johnston, Harnett Counties And Town Of Garner Awarded Recreation Grants

RALEIGH – Three local communities — Johnston County, Harnett County, and the Town of Garner — will receive significant funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to enhance outdoor recreational opportunities and green space access in their regions.

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) recently announced that over $26.5 million in federal matching grants has been awarded to support outdoor recreation projects across the state. Among the recipients are several projects in central North Carolina that promise to improve parks, promote wellness, and boost community development.

Johnston County
Johnston County was awarded $500,000 to support the development of the Johnston County Regional Park, a project aimed at expanding local recreational infrastructure and increasing access to green space for residents across the county.

Harnett County
Harnett County will receive $500,000 in matching grant funds to begin Phase 1 of improvements at Neill’s Creek Park. The project will involve new facilities and upgrades to support active recreation and community use.

Town of Garner
The Town of Garner secured over $6.2 million through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP), a highly competitive national program focused on underserved urban areas. The funding will allow Garner to complete Yeargan Park, a multi-purpose sports and recreation complex that will serve one of the fastest-growing communities in the region.

“These projects reflect the growing need for accessible, high-quality outdoor spaces in both rural and suburban parts of North Carolina,” said DNCR Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “We’re grateful for the federal investment and proud to support initiatives that bring health, environmental, and economic benefits to our local communities.”

“We look forward to seeing the impacts of these LWCF grants to state parks and local communities,” said State Parks Director Brian Strong. “Green spaces in both urban and rural settings improve the quality of life for those able to access them, and grant funding is crucial to make more parks more accessible to more people.”

The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federal program administered in North Carolina by DNCR through its Division of Parks and Recreation. Funding is matched by state or local governments and helps conserve natural areas while promoting outdoor recreation.

For fiscal year 2024–25, the LWCF provided $7.8 million in funding statewide, supporting six projects in total — four local and two state-level park acquisitions. Additional grants, like Garner’s, were awarded through ORLP, which targets urban parks in underserved communities.