LELAND — Leland is hoping to add another park to preserve green space and provide recreational spaces for its growing community. Earlier this month, town council heard early design plans, though a public hearing to annex the land has to take place first and feedback from residents will also be welcomed.
The park will be located at 964 River Rd. and overlook the Brunswick River. Purchased in 2023 for $5.5 million, the 28.51 acres could have 31 amenities, according to Economic and Community Development Director Barnes Sutton, inclusive of nature trails, botanical gardens, education pavilions, a visitor center, sculpture garden, kayak launch spots, a greenhouse, amphitheater, event lawn and wedding venue.
However, the park is in its nascent stages and the town has to hear public feedback before it can start creating concrete plans. A timeline for its completion nor total costs to bring it to fruition are known yet, according to spokesperson Jessica Jewell.
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“If the concept is contemplated and determined to be the vision of the public and the Town Council, then there will be a long process of funding, planning, and design, which will include all necessary permitting through various State and local agencies,” she wrote in an email to Port City Daily.
According to Mayor Pro Tem Bob Campbell, the increasing number of parks is to match the growing population. Leland has grown by 44% since 2020. There are currently about 33,000 people living in its boundaries, according to the town. The U.S. Census numbers from 2024 indicate one-third of the population is between ages 20 and 54.
“We have more families — young families — or just young adults who want to get out and do recreational things,” Campbell said.
Council member Veronica Carter told Port City Daily the town’s ownership of the property also allows Leland to prevent development of the area.
“I think it’s a great start for a property that was going to be another subdivision,” she said.
Leland approved 5,623 residential units between 2021 and June 2025 according to local media reporting.
Leland currently has three parks on roughly 186 cumulative acres; Founders Park is located on Town Hall Drive, Westgate Nature Park on Westgate Drive and Cypress Cove Park on Appleton Way. The latest addition will address the need for more recreational spaces, wetland management, nature preservation and the desire for trail connectivity, per the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan being updated currently. The plan is a strategic framework designed to guide the growth, investment and management of the town’s parks, green spaces, and recreational programs. The town is accepting survey responses on what community members want to see in the master plan until Sept. 14 (found here).
In August, town council was shown conceptual designs about the new park from Sutton; no vote was taken and the plans were discussed briefly after the presentation.
Sutton showed the park’s entrance will be accessible on the northern part of the parcel, near Club Court, also where a potential visitor center will be located. Just south of the center will be a sculpture garden and amphitheater. There also will be a greenhouse and a trail that runs through a coastal plain forest.
In the center of the park will be event spaces, a wedding pavilion, catering center and reception hall. Also included are several gardens and a fire pit terrace, while along the river is a boardwalk over wetlands, kayak launch and overlook.
Both parking lots are on the western side of the property, which council member Frank Pendleton worried was too far from the kayak launch.
“It’s unrealistic anybody’s going to drag a kayak that far to go down to the river,” he said in the meeting.
Campbell agreed and told Port City Daily he would like to see the river access be used for a boat launch, too.
Pendleton added he would like to see a fishing pier on the property and for the town to utilize the river more as its “most important asset.” The council member also believed a majority of the amenities proposed at the park would be better suited in the Jackey’s Creek area.
The property used to be a shipyard during World War 2, and was utilized to build and store Liberty ships. These were mass-produced cargo vessels used to transport troops, weapons, food and other essentials to support the Allied forces.
Pendleton brought up at the meeting the possibility of adding a memorial wall for Leland residents who have fought in various wars — as a way to incorporate “Old Leland,” located on Village Road, into “New Leland,” near Waterford and Magnolia Greens off of U.S. 17.
“Selfishly, my father served in all theaters of the Second World War on at least four separate Liberty ships as a Merchant Marine,” town attorney Steve Coggins said. “I would be very pleased to see a recognition for the Merchant Marine as part of that.”
Pendleton suggested “Liberty Park” as a potential name.
It will be the second botanical garden in Brunswick County — the other is located on about 2 acres in Bolivia off of Government Center Drive.
The site is also situated on a portion of Gullah Geechee Heritage Trail, which spans from Phoenix Park in Navassa to Brunswick Nature Park and includes Belville and Leland. According to Sutton, this was kept in mind while staff created the preliminary design, including its trail placement.
Though purchased three years ago, the property still has to be annexed into Leland. Because of the moratorium placed on the town by Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover) in March 2023, the town could not progress in plans for the property, since it was not technically in Leland’s town limits. The moratorium was lifted, with restrictions, in July 2026. A public hearing and agenda item discussion on the topic are planned for Oct. 15.
[Ed. note: This article has been updated to correctly attribute information to Frank Pendleton, not Leland Hyer, and to the town attorney, Steve Coggins. Port City Daily regrets the error.]
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