Wake County commissioners have signed off on a major construction contract to renovate Lake Crabtree County Park in Morrisville, funding a new waterfront education building, a new restroom facility, expanded parking and accessibility improvements throughout the park. The board approved the contract on Monday, with construction expected to begin later this year and wrap up by December 2027.
According to CBS 17, the commissioners approved a $6.6 million construction contract for the project. A Wake County Government park-projects listing, however, puts the investment at $6.2 million, and the available information does not clarify whether the two figures describe the same scope of work. The renovations are funded through the voter-approved 2018 parks, greenways, recreation and open space bond, per the CBS 17 report.
Lake Crabtree County Park opened in 1988 as Wake County's first established park and drew more than 250,000 visitors in 2026, the station reports. Don Mial, chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, said the park has been a popular destination for fishing, boating and more since it opened, and added that the project will protect and enhance the park experience for years to come, according to CBS 17's report.
A New Waterfront Classroom and Upgraded Facilities
The centerpiece of the plan is a 4,805-square-foot education building near the waterfront, which will include indoor classroom space for up to 86 people, a covered deck overlooking the lake, and restrooms and storage for park programs. Park staff plan to use the building for indoor instruction before leading visitors into outdoor habitat exploration and hands-on activities, including paddle skills, the station's report notes.
Susan Jones, manager of Lake Crabtree County Park, said visitors are excited about the improvements and that the updates will improve accessibility, enable year-round programming and create new ways to enjoy the park, per the same account. Planned offerings tied to the new space include advanced fishing skill classes, accessible bird- and butterfly-watching, and an adult lecture series along with community-group meeting space.
Parking, Restrooms and Infrastructure Upgrades
The project also calls for a 724-square-foot restroom facility and expanded boat ramp parking, part of a broader set of infrastructure upgrades that include new roofs on the park's existing administration and maintenance buildings and accessible walkways connecting key park features. A stormwater wetland is planned beside the education building for environmental learning, and the project includes public art elements integrated into the landscape, the report states.
Construction is expected to begin later in 2026 and continue through December 2027, and parts of the park will be inaccessible during that stretch. Wake County plans to post progress updates on its website, while the park itself will share updates on its Facebook page, per the CBS 17 report.
Separate Dispute Over Airport-Owned Park Land
The renovation contract comes amid a separate, ongoing controversy over land within the same park that is owned by Raleigh-Durham International Airport. RDU owns 330 acres of Lake Crabtree County Park and had leased the land to Wake County for $1 a year, according to WRAL. The airport authority's proposed development of that property would affect 136 acres of the park, including nearly all of its 9.4 miles of bike trails and a small section of lakefront, WRAL reports, a plan that has drawn loud condemnation from hikers, bikers and trail runners.
Wake County has said it is working with RDU's Airport Authority to renew the lease for the remaining portion of the park and to enhance mountain bike trails on the 150-acre property known as the 286 Property, per WRAL's reporting. A new lease covering the park's boating and playground areas carries an annual rate of $214,488 with 3% yearly escalation over 20 years, and it does not include 148 acres of hiking and mountain-biking courses, according to Technician. The outlet also reports that the park closed many of its hiking and biking trails on June 1 as part of that redevelopment plan.
