Amphitheater, bike course planned for New Bern's Martin Marietta Park phase two this winter
With an estimated price tag of $1.4 million, Phase Two work at New Bern's Martin Marietta Park is expected to feature some of the park’s more high-profile amenities, including an amphitheater and swim beach.
Other new features will include a bike pump course and additional trails with pedestrian bridges that will connect the entire park.
“We anticipate general work on a few of these elements will begin this winter,” said New Bern City Manager Foster Hughes.
More: Martin Marietta Park phase 1 kicks off with groundbreaking
Hughes said the timeline for completing the remaining projects will depend on the funding options available. He said the rising costs of supplies such as lumber have had little impact on the work at Martin Marietta, which is scheduled to be the largest park in New Bern’s history.
“We are working on applying for a variety of grants as well as the potential for sponsorship opportunities and naming rights for facilities such as the amphitheater,” he explained.
Phase Two work comes on the heels of the grand opening of the park's phase one amenities that was held in March. The work, which began in 2019, included the addition of a children’s adventure playground, restrooms, picnic shelters, 7+ miles of trails, fishing opportunities, canoe and kayak access, and wildlife observation. The park also includes a StoryWalk Trail and special areas labeled ecoEXPLORE Hotspots that allow visitors to observe Martin Marietta Park’s plants and animals.
More: Top amenities and what they look like at Martin Marietta, New Bern's biggest park
"We’re estimating between 75 and 100 people visit the park each day, depending on the weather," said Hughes.
The addition of new parking lots, an observation tower and several fishing piers was also part of Phase One work. Additionally, the entrance to the park was changing dramatically, with new signage and a median that separates coming and going traffic
More: Martin Marietta Park to open Friday. What can parents, kids expect, what is still to come
According to Hughes, the majority of the work at Martin Marietta Park has been completed by city of New Bern staff, which has helped save money.
The park is located on the site of a former quarry previously owned by the Martin Marietta Corporation. In 2017, Martin Marietta donated 55+ acres to help form the new park. The land was added to approximately 800 acres that was acquired by the City of New Bern in the late 1990's.
The property for Martin Marietta Park, which includes three lakes, was purchased by the City of New Bern using Clean Water Trust Fund money. The City received a CAMA North Carolina Public Beach and Waterfront Access Grant in the amount of $125,000, which required a 20 percent match from the city, that went towards the construction of the restrooms and shelter and floating docks. An additional $475,000 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant was used for other Phase 1 projects, including utilities such as water and sewer lines and electrical infrastructure.
Reporter Todd Wetherington can be reached by email at wwetherington@gannett.com. Please consider supporting local journalism by signing up for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Amphitheater, bike course planned for Martin Marietta Park phase two
