Planning and Progress

Read the Johnston County Parks and Recreation Master Plan published in April 2021.

Projects

Currently, the following projects are in the works:

• Johnston County Regional Park: New Park in the Cleveland Community
  • 81+ acres of land.
  • Johnston County’s first County Park.
  • Partnership with Greater Cleveland Athletic Association (GCAA).
  • RFQ approved on July 19th, 2021 to seek out engineers for a temporary parking lot and irrigation water system.
    • UPDATE (10/4/21): County Commissioners approved funding for the design process RFQ of the temporary parking lot and irrigation water system
    • UPDATE (12/6/21): County Commissioners approved the master plan RFQ for the park's permanent facilities and design
  • A universal ball field will be built following this construction by GCAA.
    • UPDATE (4/8/22): McGill has been selected to design a temporary ballfield
  • Stewert has been selected to conduct the master plan with the intention of finishing by December 2022
    • UPDATE (10/14/22)Community engagement has been completed and a draft master plan will be presented soon

• A new partnership between Johnston County Public Schools and Johnston County Parks and Open Space Program
• • All school athletic facilities will be considered public parks, allowing athletic associations to rent/lease fields and facilities for athletic games.
  • Grounds will be maintained by Johnston County Parks and Open Space Program via a shared-use/payment contract with the school system.
  • The first meeting took place on August 3rd, 2021; this is the first of many public meetings involving parks & recreation, public schools, and athletic associations.

• Neuse River Trail Clayton-Smithfield Connection Feasibility Study (Adopted 09/19/2022)
  Please view this link for more information
• • Issued by Upper Coastal Plain Rural Planning Organization (UCPRPO)
  • 15.6-mile connection from existing greenway/multi-use trails in Clayton and Smithfield
  • Includes continuation of the Mountains to Sea Trail and East Coast Greenway
  • Partners include:
  • Upper Coastal Plain RPO
  • McAdams
  • NC Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO)
  • Johnston County
  • NC State Parks
  • Towns of Clayton, Wilson's Mills, Selma, and Smithfield
  • Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
  • East Coast Greenway Alliance
  • NCDOT
  • Proposed Contract Time: Within Fiscal Year 2021-2202
  • UPDATE (9/21/21): County Commissioners approved funding for Johnston County Parks and Open Space Trails Study portion included in the feasibility study 
  • UPDATE (09/05/2022): Neuse River Trail Study completed by McAdams; plans reviewed by Park staff
  • UPDATE (9/19/22): County Commissioners adopted the Neuse River Trail Feasibility Study 

For more information about upcoming projects and long-term planning, please email parks@johnstonnc.com.