2018 COMPREHENSIVE RECREATION MASTER PLAN FOR THE CITY OF MORGANTON BURKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Prepared For: City of Morganton Parks & Recreation Department 300 Collett Street Morganton, North Carolina 28655 Prepared By: The LandPlan Group South 1206 Scott Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 Toole Design Group 172 East Main Street, Suite 301 Spartanburg, South Carolina 29306 Telephone: (864) 336-2276 Project Number 0809 February 2018 Morganton Parks and Recreation Department 2018 Comprehensive Recreation Master Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................. 6 II. PHASE I - RESEARCH ..................................................................................... 10 A. 2015 COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN (JUNE 1997) ............................................................. 10 1. Catawba Meadows Park .............................................................................................. 11 2. Martha’s Park .............................................................................................................. 12 3. Catawba River Soccer Complex ................................................................................... 12 4. Morganton Greenway System ...................................................................................... 12 5. Morganton Skate Park.................................................................................................. 13 B. DEMOGRAPHICS ................................................................................................................... 14 TABLE 1 – POPULATION FROM 1990 TO 2016: ................................................................................. 14 C. COMMUNITY OUTREACH ...................................................................................................... 15 1. Focus Groups ............................................................................................................... 15 2. Intercept Surveys .......................................................................................................... 15 3. Public Information and Input Sessions ......................................................................... 16 D. OPERATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 39 E. PROGRAMMING .................................................................................................................... 40 1. Classes, Clubs, and Fitness .......................................................................................... 40 2. Aquatic Programs ........................................................................................................ 40 3. Adult Sports .................................................................................................................. 41 4. Youth Sports ................................................................................................................. 41 F. RECREATION TRENDS ........................................................................................................... 41 G. CITY OF MORGANTON PARKS & RECREATION SITE INVENTORY .......................................... 42 1. Collett Street Recreation Center .................................................................................. 42 2. Collett Street Outdoor Pool .......................................................................................... 43 3. Mountain View Recreation Center ............................................................................... 43 4. Morganton Aquatics Center ......................................................................................... 43 5. Catawba Meadows Park .............................................................................................. 44 6. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park ....................................................................................... 44 7. Cascade Park ............................................................................................................... 45 8. Asian Garden ................................................................................................................ 45 9. Gene Turner Park ......................................................................................................... 45 10. Martha’s Park .............................................................................................................. 46 11. Bethel Park ................................................................................................................... 46 ~1~ Morganton Parks and Recreation Department 2018 Comprehensive Recreation Master Plan 12. Drexel Heritage Park ................................................................................................... 46 13. Shuey Park .................................................................................................................. 47 14. Catawba River Soccer Complex ................................................................................... 47 15. Carbon City Park ......................................................................................................... 48 16. Freedom Park ............................................................................................................... 48 17. Morganton Greenway System ..................................................................................... 48 18. Community Garden ...................................................................................................... 49 19. Morganton Skeet and Trap Range ................................................................................ 49 20. Morganton Skate Park.................................................................................................. 50 21. Broughton Reuse Project .............................................................................................. 50 TABLE 2 – SITE INVENTORY: ........................................................................................................... 51 H. LOCAL AND REGIONAL RECREATION INVENTORY ................................................................ 53 1. Burke County Parks and Recreation Department ........................................................ 53 2. North Carolina State Parks .......................................................................................... 56 3. United States National Parks and Recreational Areas ................................................. 59 4. Other Regionally Significant Recreational Amenities .................................................. 60 I. CITY OF MORGANTON PARKS AND RECREATION SITE ANALYSIS ........................................ 60 1. Collett Street Recreation Center .................................................................................. 61 2. Collett Street Outdoor Pool .......................................................................................... 61 3. Mountain View Recreation Center ............................................................................... 61 4. Morganton Aquatic Center ........................................................................................... 61 5. Catawba Meadows Park .............................................................................................. 61 6. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park ....................................................................................... 62 7. Cascade Park ............................................................................................................... 62 8. Asian Garden................................................................................................................ 62 9. Gene Turner Park ......................................................................................................... 62 10. Martha’s Park .............................................................................................................. 62 11. Bethel Park ................................................................................................................... 62 12. Drexel Heritage Park ................................................................................................... 63 13. Shuey Park .................................................................................................................. 63 14. Catawba River Soccer Complex ................................................................................... 63 15. Carbon City Park ......................................................................................................... 63 16. Freedom Park ............................................................................................................... 64 17. Morganton Greenway .................................................................................................. 64 18. Community Garden ...................................................................................................... 64 19. Morganton Skeet and Trap ........................................................................................... 64 20. Morganton Skate Park.................................................................................................. 64 ~2~ Morganton Parks and Recreation Department 2018 Comprehensive Recreation Master Plan III. PHASE II - RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................... 65 A. OPERATIONS .......................................................................................................................