A Saturday groundbreaking marked the start of a new community park project in Merrimon, where a park committee has planned the effort. The committee says the park is intended to give local children a place to play and residents a place to gather.
“The Merrimon community in Carteret County is getting a new park. And it started Saturday with a groundbreaking,” according to WCTI. Park Committee chairperson Wanda McClain said the goal is to build “a welcoming, vibrant, and sustainable community park that fosters connection, recreation, and well-being for people of all ages and abilities.”
Why the Park Matters to Merrimon Families
McClain described the park’s goal as fostering connection, recreation, and well-being for people of all ages and abilities.
The committee’s plans pair recreation with a potential role in serving children during the summer. Organizers have described the park as a place for both play and community gatherings.
Summer meal sites in Carteret County
The state guidance does not identify which meal sites are currently serving children in Carteret County or whether families in Merrimon can use a particular site. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction lists parks among possible settings for summer meals, but says sites must be approved by its Office of School Nutrition Summer Nutrition staff before operating. The guidance does not establish that Merrimon Community Park is an approved or operating meal site.
What's Planned for the New Park
Plans outlined in WCTI’s report include a nature trail, a basketball court and a horseshoe area. McClain said the committee hopes to add a splash area later, giving families another option for cooling off during the region’s hot, humid summers.
Separately, Carteret County has begun work on a broader outdoor recreation plan. The county announced a 15-year Parks & Recreation and Shoreline Access Master Plan and invited residents to take a public survey, according to Carteret County, NC; the county also made updates and opportunities for public input available as the planning effort continued.
WCTI, which reported on the groundbreaking, says it plans to continue following the Merrimon park's progress as the project develops.
