CLH design was the lead designer for the City of Wilmington Bijou Park Renovation project. The site is rich with history and is a landmark in the City. In the early 1900s, this site, located in downtown Wilmington on Front Street, operated as a theater where short motion pictures were displayed for just five cents. Residents of all ages frequented the theater. In the mid-1960s, the theater closed, and the building was demolished. The only remaining piece of the theater was a mosaic tile on the ground displaying the Bijou name. A local garden club converted the vacant lot into a pocket park.

The site was overgrown and ready to be renovated. CLH led the design team in rejuvenating the park into a safe, dynamic public space while preserving and telling the site’s history. The site is situated between the vibrant Front Street and a large multi-use development. CLH coordinated the design of this park with the adjacent private development. The park’s design will support the City’s Tree City USA and Bee City USA designations and the Downtown PEDestrian ART (PED ART) program.

The City residents and visitors now have a new and engaging public space.

Sandy Pines Preserve is a 563-acre property of forest and working farmland and is the largest tract of land owned by Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space. CLH has served as design lead for this project since 2013. Repurposed existing tractor paths along with new single-track trails will provide an estimated eight to ten miles of equestrian trails at full build-out. Phase 1 included the design of 6.5 miles of trails, a picnic area, and a gated driveway off Doc Procter Road which leads to a large gravel trailhead parking lot designed for vehicles pulling horse trailers.

Phase 1 is now complete, and we have moved into Phase 1A which includes the design of connector trails with specific permitting needs. Phase 2 design will include a bridge that requires additional environmental permitting.

CLH provided design services for the development of a master plan for the Town of Knightdale’s Harper Park.  The master plan provided phased development recommendations and associated projects costs for the phased work. The purpose of the master planning process for Harper Park was to create a comprehensive vision for the future development of the park to meet the community’s recreational needs and preserve the site’s natural resources. As part of our master planning services, CLH conducted site analysis, community research and data collection, and stakeholder interviews. The master plan design included various elements including playgrounds, tennis courts, and a picnic area.

Phase I design services included a final design and construction of a pickleball court, tennis courts, and a concession/restroom building. The upgraded amenities were completed in 2019 and the Knightdale community is having a blast with the improved facilities. CLH recently worked with the Town on the design of two additional pickleball courts since they have been so popular.

In 2022, CLH was selected as part of the Jackson Builders design-build team for the design and construction of a playground for Harper Park. This project is currently in construction.

Active adults in Apex now have an amazing place to socialize, learn, exercise, and have fun! CLH successfully integrated the new Senior Center facility on the existing Apex Town Campus and adjacent to the existing Town Hall and Community Center. The central quad underwent a major renovation to serve as an innovative stormwater management device and open activity space.

CLH provided landscape architecture and civil engineering services on the Town of Wake Forest E. Carroll Joyner Park Community Center and Playground project.  This project is for a new community facility and playground within the Town of Wake Forest Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources system, located within the existing E. Carroll Joyner Park.

E. Carroll Joyner Park was a working farm until the 1990’s. Purchased by the Town of Wake Forest in 2003, the 117-acre park maintains the pastoral feel of the early farming days with meadows, rolling hills, trails, pecan grove, farm pond and original farm structures. Officially opened in 2009, the park offers a wide variety of passive and active activities, including three miles of looped paved trails for walking, bicycling or running, stone walls, a lawn amphitheater and several gardens. This project is Phase 2 of the three-part master plan and includes the design of a community center, a natural play area, additional parking, a secondary visitor’s entrance to the park, landscape design, educational stormwater control measures, connections to the existing trail network, and assistance with the site improvements for the addition of a canopy over the existing amphitheater stage.

CLH provided design services for the redevelopment of the City of Greensboro’s Oka T. Hester Park. Hester Park is an existing 87-acre regional park which includes a 5.7 acre lake surrounded by day use areas and programmed active recreation facilities.

CLH provided an overall Park Master Plan with phased development recommendations and associated projects costs for the phased work. This included recommendations to satisfy immediate park site improvements with an initial $1.3 million capital budget. The stated purpose of the master planning process for Hester Park was to create a comprehensive vision for the future development of the park to meet the community’s recreational needs and preserve the site’s natural resources. The master plan design included various elements including a playground, volleyball court, pickleball court, several fields, and
water activities surrounding the lake.

As part of the planning process, CLH assisted with a public Community Conversation where the Conceptual Master Plan was shared. This community input helped to finalize the master plan for Hester Park.

Because of our success with the master plan process, CLH moved on to the design phase of this project. Due to budget constraints, we reconstructed two multipurpose fields to make them regulation in size. This project is in construction.