Wildwood Park Giving Guide

GIVING GUIDE 1

1

1 2–3

From Vision to Reality A Destination Park

4

Generations to Come

5

Building for the Future

6–7

Observation Tower

8–9

Chris Smith Mountain Bike Trails

10–11

East Side Boat Ramp

12–13

Pump Track & Skills Course

14–15

Fishing Pier & Platform

16–17

Nature-Themed Playground

18

How to Contribute & General Needs

19

Giving Levels & Acknowledgements

Back Cover

Wildwood Park Map

1

Dear Friends

A “gift that keeps on giving.” That’s what a special place called Wildwood Park will be to the Greenville community well into the 22nd century and beyond.

Thanks to a generous donation from Grady-White Boats, the City of Greenville was able to acquire 365 acres of riverside property north of the Tar River, which would become Wildwood Park. The City completed Phase I improvements and officially opened the park in October 2021. This created access to 1.5 miles of natural surface trails, a kayak and canoe launch, camping platform and various outdoor recreation opportunities.

Wildwood Park features two large lakes, extensive shorelines, and a stream connecting the east side lake to the Tar River. Future development plans include various outdoor recreational amenities such as an observation tower, boardwalks, pedestrian bridges, mountain bike trails, zip lines, an event space, boat ramp and a nature themed-playground.

Wildwood Park’s enduring impacts are nearly unlimited, and the City of Greenville recognizes its potential for benefitting area residents for decades. Given it’s an investment with a continual return, there’s a commitment to ensuring the park remains a top priority for the City of Greenville Recreation and Parks Department.

In order to reach its true potential, the project also will require other sources of community support.

The Forever Wildwood campaign has been initiated to help secure additional assistance for future phases of park development.

Information on how individuals, corporate organizations, professional associations and service clubs can become a partner in the Wildwood project is found within this catalogue. With community support, this dynamic initiative called Wildwood Park can truly become one of those special gifts to the people of Eastern North Carolina . . . one that “keeps on giving.”

For additional information about Wildwood Park, please contact us today.

Sincerely,

Don Octigan

Gary Fenton

Don Octigan, CPRP Gary Fenton Director of Recreation & Parks Wildwood Park Resource Coordinator 252.329.4567 252.329.WILD (9453) doctigan@greenvillenc.gov wildwood@greenvillenc.gov

1

FROM VISION TO

REALITY What began as a vision more than a decade ago is now a new park brimming with future promise. The addition of Wildwood Park immediately brings new outdoor leisure opportunities to the Greenville community and a future of recreation, exploration and programming possibilities as additional amenities are developed.

City leaders have dreamed about what this incredible park can become. The vision was shared, cultivated and promoted to bring it to reality. Through public funds and generous private support, the City was able to purchase the parcels making up Wildwood Park, which created a template for park planners.

The Forever Wildwood fundraising initiative will require many community partners, such as Grady-White Boats and the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation, to support the development of future phases and help the park reach its full potential.

“This wonderful park will offer families from all over this region awesome outdoor opportunities,” said Eddie Smith, owner and CEO of Grady-White Boats. “It’s just limitless what can be done here.”

Smith grew up with an appreciation for being outdoors and having access to natural settings. He believes deeply in all people having access to natural places and outdoor adventures. Wildwood Park will be that place.

“I sure hope that everyone that hears about and reads about Wildwood can feel and more importantly share my passion for how important this awesome park will be for all who enjoy it for generations and generations and generations to come,” Smith said.

11

A park of this magnitude will require public and private support for development to continue.

The phases of Wildwood Park will be developed over a period of years, using public dollars in addition to support from community partners and private gifts. Recreation and Parks staff, along with the recently created Wildwood Park resource office, will begin a fundraising initiative to seek partners throughout the community.

By early 2022, several projects will be “shovel ready,” including Phase II amenities such as a trail connection that will include sections of boardwalk and bridges. An observation tower, at a proposed height of 125 feet, is being designed to be situated in the water at the southern end of the lake.

The goal with the trails and boardwalks is to provide a complete connection from Wildwood Park East to the existing primitive trail at River Park North. This includes a complete loop around the east lake, which will require a bridge over the canal leading to the Tar River.

Design work is underway for a mountain bike trail and bicycle skills course with Nature Trails LLC, which is also being supported by Grady-White Boats.

Future phases could include a nature-themed playground, a boat ramp, floating aqua park, cable wakeboarding, zip line, ropes course and additional trail connections.

2 1

31

GENERATIONS TO COME

Wildwood Park and its future phases of growth are a thrill for the City, according to Greenville City Manager Ann Wall. “This project will result in an exciting, scenic, riverside venue that will be one of the finest in this city and in all of eastern North Carolina. I am anxiously awaiting the future phases that will take Wildwood Park to the next level,” Wall said.

As part of the fundraising initiative, the City has partnered with the Community Foundation of North Carolina East, where all financial gifts made toward the development of Wildwood Park will be deposited into The Wildwood Park Charitable Gift Fund.

14 4

BUILDING

FOR THE FUTURE Given the size and uniqueness of Wildwood Park, it is important to have a plan for its development. Throughout 2021, McGill Associates in conjunction with the City of Greenville worked on a master plan for Wildwood Park that will help guide future phases of development.

As part of this planning process, City staff were able to gather public input though surveys, meetings, and focus groups. Utilizing the public’s expressed recreational wants and needs for Wildwood Park, a plan was drafted.

On October 11, 2021 the City Council adopted the Wildwood Park Development Plan. Projects from the plan are beginning to be completed while others await funding. Projects highlighted in this catalog are key elements of the development plan and vision for the park.

5 51

OBSERVATION TOWER

The observation tower will be Wildwood Park’s “landmark structure” and, visible a significant distance from the park, will quickly become an identifying feature of the park.

6 1

PROJECTED COST:

$3,500,000 The observation tower will be approximately 125 feet in height and situated in the shallows of Wildwood Park’s east side lake. A pedestrian bridge will allow access from the shore to a platform above the water. On a clear day, visitors will be able to see approximately 12 miles in every direction.

71

CHRIS SMITH Eddie & Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation

PROJECTED COST:

$550,000 A six-mile, high-quality mountain bike course will traverse Wildwood Park’s forests and hills on the park’s east side.

8 1

TRAILS

91

EAST SIDE

BOAT RAMP

110 10

PROJECTED COST:

$500,000 The boat ramp will be located on Wildwood Park’s east side, where residents and visitors can launch their boats and have access to the Tar River.

111

PROJECTED COST:

$300,000 Located in the northern part of the park, the Wildwood Park Pump Track and Bicycle Skills Course will consist of a bicycle skills park with jump features and a paved pump track.

112

PUMP TRACK &

SKILLS COURSE

131

FISHING PIER

AND PLATFORM

114 14

PROJECTED COST:

$300,000 The pier will be a spacious, wheelchair-accessible facility for fishing or just relaxing close to the water. It will give visitors access to shoreline spots that otherwise might be unreachable.

151

PROJECTED COST:

$700,000 Located on Wildwood Park’s east side, this dynamic and accessible playground will mirror the uniqueness of the park and its natural environment. Conceptual plans include a miniature version of the park’s observation tower.

16 1

17 171

HOW TO

CONTRIBUTE

The City of Greenville, through the Recreation and Parks Department, has created The Wildwood Park Charitable Gift Fund, which will be managed and administered by the Community Foundation of NC East (CFNCE). The CFNCE is a community foundation, a tax-exempt public charity that enables people and organizations to establish charitable funds that have a direct impact throughout eastern North Carolina. The CFNCE is managed by professionals with exceptional leadership and knowledge of our community as well as the eastern North Carolina region. The Foundation staff, as well as their regional Board of Directors, lead and manage the Foundation with exceptional fiduciary oversight while ensuring that financial resources are invested back into our community for the well-being of all of eastern North Carolina.

Check made payable to CFNCE with Wildwood Park Charitable Gift Fund written in memo.

Donations can be mailed to: Community Foundation of North Carolina East PO Box 3985 Greenville, NC 27836

WAYS OF GIVING Give via PayPal using the QR code depicted

GENERAL NEEDS

AT WILDWOOD PARK

The development of a park with Wildwood’s potential requires creating additional elements, addressing various park needs, and acquiring a variety of supplies and equipment. General donations to Forever Wildwood will support such park needs as:

18 1

Bike Racks

$600–$1,500

Picnic Shelter

$20,000 & up

Bicycle Repair Station

$1,700–$5,000

Picnic Tables

$1,000–$2,000

Camping Platforms

$25,000–$35,000 each

Playground Feature

$10,000–$30,000

Canoe, Kayak, & Pedal Boat

$800–3,000 each

Shade Structure

$12,000–$25,000

Grills

$600–$800 each

Signage (Interpretive)

$2,000–$5,000

Park Benches

$675–$2,000

Fire Pit

$800–$1,200

For event sponsorship opportunities and to discuss other potential amenities, please call 252.329.4567.

GIVING LEVELS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Gifts made to Wildwood Park through the Community Foundation of North Carolina East will be acknowledged through certain formats based on the amount of the gift.

Up to $499

Friend of Wildwood

Online Acknowledgement

$500 to $999 Online & Printed Acknowledgement

Wildwood Ambassador

$1,000 to $99,999 Giving Wall, Online, & Printed Acknowledgement

$100,000 & up Signage, Giving Wall, Online, & Printed Acknowledgement

Wildwood Pioneer

Legacy Builder

If a Legacy Builder gift exceeds 80% of the construction cost of a sponsored park element, that element will be named in honor of a person, family or organization designated by the donor.

191

Gr

WILDWOOD PARK CONCEPTUAL SITE LAYOUT ee

ille nv

Old Pactolus Rd

vd Bl Blue Heron Dr

NE

North er

iv rR

River Park North

Ta

Tar

1

Riv

er

Parking Area

Bicycle Skills Course (2022)

Future Boat Ramp

Sand Beach

Mountain Bike Trails (2022)

Future Parking Areas

Kayak Launch

Fishing Dock

Future Community Building

Camp Platform

Welcome Center & Playground

Future Observation Tower

Natural Surface Trail (1.5 mi.)

Future Trails & Boardwalks River Park North Trail System