Neighbors challenge Wake commissioner, take stand for future Wake County park

Supporters of a park planned for the former Crooked Creek Golf Course slammed a Wake County leader’s plan to sell the property.

Greg Ford, vice chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, has proposed selling the 143 acres the county bought last summer after months of debate. The board will consider his proposal Monday during its 5 p.m. meeting.

Ron Nawojczyk, leader of the South Wake Park Project group, and David Carter, the former director of the Wake County parks department, both defended the park plan during during a news conference Thursday.

“The thing that bothers me the most is that we are just not getting the truth out here,” Nawojczyk said.

This park, he said, shouldn’t be pitted against other interests like public education and affordable housing — two things park opponents say the county should have spent the $4 million on instead of buying the land.

Citing the recent passage of a $120 million bond for open space, parks and greenways, Carter said the location is not only ideal but needed in fast-growing, southern Wake County.

“Folks, the people of this county have spoken,” Carter said. “Loud and clear. We want parks and recreation. We want open space.”

But voters also rejected two of the four candidates in the recent commissioners election who voted to buy the land, Ford said Thursday night.

“I think those two election results — the passing overwhelmingly of the parks bond and the removal by voters of two of the four commissioners who voted for Crooked Creek ... — sends a resounding message to this new board that we need to deal with it quickly and decisively, one way or another, the new board needs to weigh in on it,” he said.

‘Stars aligned’

Several residents, including from nearby neighborhoods, and elected officials also spoke at the afternoon news conference. Several held homemade signs asking commissioners to keep their promise and develop the land as a park.

“The stars have really aligned on this project, and we owe it to ourselves and to children to preserve this land and to make sure that we do it right,” said Commissioner Matt Calabria, who voted for the park purchase. “We have to make forward-thinking investments. If we don’t, we lose this land forever. That is what we are facing right here.”

Ford called buying the former golf course an example of “bad governance” that the current board must rectify.

“I don’t believe this property is consistent with the vision and values of not only the Wake County parks system but also voters of Wake County,” he said.

Ford, along with Commissioners Jessica Holmes and James West, voted against buying the property.

Since then, two pro-park commissioners lost their re-election bid and new members Vickie Adamson and Susan Evans have joined the seven-member board.

This story was originally published January 3, 2019 at 5:57 PM.