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The Town of Belhaven was awarded a $380,000 Rural Transformation grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and its Rural Economic Development Division. 

According to Town Manager Lynn Davis, the money will be used to transform an unnamed park near the town docks on Pamlico Street into a smaller, similar version of Mac Bear Hodges Festival Park in Washington. 

“What we are hoping that will come out of this funding that we just received will be some type of stage and gazebo area and public restrooms,” Davis said, which will help the town “enhance that area and enable us to use it for events and attract more people to downtown Belhaven.” 

Within the next month, the park is expected to have a name, Davis said. A committee has been formed to determine the name and will bring it before council for a vote.

Davis hopes the project will be completed by next summer in time for a series of live concerts. 

The town applied for the grant in response to residents being more social and looking for outdoor events after the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to social districts becoming popular across the state. “You’re starting to see opportunities for people to interact and use the public spaces to the highest and best use,” Davis said. 

Part of the funding will also help the town transform a gateway into Belhaven called the “Cooperage Tract” which is 33 acres along Pantego Creek adjacent to the N.C. Highway 99 bridge. Davis said it will “change drastically over the next year with improvements continuing to follow in the next five to ten years.” 

The park project is one of several the town hopes to complete in the near future. Davis shared the town is considering adding a social district and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is planning to build a new boat ramp and boating access area either later this year or early next year. 

Belhaven is one of 29 local governments across the state who received a total of $8 million to help them “overcome challenges that limit their economic competitiveness.” This will help revitalize downtown districts, build the capacity of local government staff, revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering small business recovery, and generally supporting economic growth initiatives, according to Governor Roy Cooper’s Office.