Parks & Gardens March ENews

Parks & Gardens strives to maintain and operate parks and facilities that enrich the lives of the community and promote an overall healthier lifestyle.

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Get Out. Get Involved. Stay Connected.

Are you looking for a way to get involved in the community?  Do you want to see our county parks thrive and grow?  If you answered "yes" to both questions, then the New Hanover County Parks Conservancy is looking for someone like YOU!  The Parks Conservancy is a 501c(3) organization established in 2014 with the mission "To care for and improve New Hanover County's parks.  By doing so, we improve more than the county's beauty; we improve its health, community and economic strength."  There are many ways to get involved as an individual, group or business.  You can volunteer your time and talents, attend one of our fundraising events or donate to our many programs, projects and renovations.  Here are just a few of our exciting upcoming opportunities:

Trash Mob- April 22nd 9-11am:  We are currently recruiting volunteers to help us beautify New Hanover County.  It's kinda like a Flash Mob, but instead of dancing we'll be picking up trash.  Email us for more information or to sign up to help.  

Food Truck Rodeo- April 23rd 12-5pm:  In addition to food, entertainment and fun, we will be holding the official ribbon cutting for the new Ogden Skatepark during the 7th Food Truck Rodeo being held at Ogden Park.  We hope to see you there!

Challenge Course:  Check out this cool video...  We think this fun fitness obstacle course would make an awesome addition to Northern Regional Park!  Details to come soon on how you can help make it happen!

For information on these and more, visit the Parks Conservancy Website or follow us on facebook

Ogden Skatepark Open Daily 8am-Sunset The highly anticipated Ogden Skatepark opened to skateboarders and BMX'ers on Sat, Feb 25th!  The skatepark is a 10,000 square foot concrete park with a skate bowl and street features such as rails and steps.  An official ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on Sun, Apr 23rd during the Food Truck Rodeo.  Visit our website for more information and skatepark rules.

New Basketball Court at Ogden Park A full basketball court is currently under construction at Ogden Park!  The court is located next to the new exercise station and is expected to be complete mid-March.  You can also shoot hoops at other county parks including Arrowhead, Hugh MacRae, Kings Grant, Northern Regional, Parkwood and Veterans.

Online Reservations Did you know you can check availability and make picnic shelter reservations on our website 24/7?  You can even pay for reservations online without having to wait for parks business hours.  All you have to do is request a username and password by email, then you'll be able to access our online reservations site any time to reserve your shelter.  For more information, visit our reservations page.

Educator in the Garden On the third Thursday of each month, Airlie Gardens educators set up displays and interactive activities in the gardens on topics that vary seasonally.  This month, participants will learn how plants know when to bloom in the spring, why flowers are so important and how plants respond to different stimuli.  There will be something for all ages and a hands-on activity for kids.  Free for Airlie Members and with regular garden admission.  Check with the ticket agent for location, as it will vary monthly.  More Information

Save the Date for The Big Splash- April 1st Spring is just around the corner and the new splashpad at Hugh MacRae Park will be open to the public soon!  We are planning a grand opening celebration for Saturday, April 1st, so mark your calendars.  More details to come- follow our facebook page for the latest info.

March Events

Every Wednesday:
Volunteer Opportunity-  Park Beautification at Hugh MacRae Park  10am-12pm

Every Thursday:
Volunteer Opportunity- Grounds/Gardening at Airlie Gardens  9am-12pm

3/5         NHC Residents FREE Day at Airlie Gardens:  9am-5pm (last admission is 4:30pm)

3/8         Bird Hike at Airlie Gardens:  8-9:30am (free with garden admission)

3/8 & 9   Discovering Airlie:  9am-2:30pm (must be pre-registered by March 1st)

3/16       Educator in the Garden at Airlie Gardens:  2-4pm (free with garden admission)

*Airlie Gardens is now open 7 days a week from 9am-5pm