CAROLINA BEACH — The New Hanover Community Endowment awarded Carolina Beach with a $3.5-million grant to cover the cost of the new beachfront park slotted for the nine properties purchased in the town’s settlement with Carolina Beach Land Holdings LLC.
The Endowment announced the award on Tuesday, explaining the money will go toward the “Carolina Beach Coastal Park and Event Stage.” According to Mayor Lynn Barbee, the money will pay a small part of the $12 million in land acquisition costs, but most of the funds will be allocated for the actual park design and construction.
“Which is fantastic for us because it allows us to jumpstart this project,” Barbee told Port City Daily on Tuesday.
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The town purchased nine boardwalk properties for $12 million following a settlement with Carolina Beach Land Holdings, paid for in part by a $10-million bank loan approved by the Local Government Commission on Sept. 1. The rest will be paid from its fund balance and room occupancy tax reserves.
Carolina Beach Land Holdings and the town were at odds over a sidewalk easement, which the developers said impacted property value and land use. The town agreed to purchase the properties as part of the settlement in early 2025 for $15 million, but the price was lowered earlier this year following a leaseback agreement and negotiations. The town closed on the properties Sept. 24.
At the time of purchase, Carolina Beach said it envisioned the area being a community center and the heart of the town.
Barbee explained the application sent to The Endowment was more elaborate, as it encompassed the entire cost of the park project, land purchase and past construction efforts that will also be an amenity in the new park — such as public bathrooms. Inclusive of the $12-million purchase, the estimated cost for public bathroom installment and the park design and build is more than $20 million.
The bulk of the grant money from The Endowment will go toward the $6 million it will cost to design and build the recreation space. The plans include an event stage, green space, family-friendly activities and the like.
No plans are finalized or official yet, Barbee said, but the idea is to have a place for children to play.
“We would like to have a place for kids down there so that families, when they’re hanging out and listening to music, their kids can go play,” he said, “whether that’s a playground or a splash pad.”
The Endowment also cited a Wave Transit stop creating a connection between the county-at-large and the coastal town; RideMICRO is available in Carolina Beach, though no bus routes.
The town hopes to secure grants for remaining costs, such as purchasing a parcel in the gazebo stage area for $350,000.
Town staff also plan to apply for the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, though no timeline for that grant could be provided.
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