Wrightsville Beach Gets Millions for Renourishment
Millions of federal funds are heading to Wrightsville Beach. According to government officials more than $21 million is coming to the Wilmington district of the US Army Corps of Engineers to help with a beach renourishment project. Wrightsville beach was heavily damaged by Hurricane Florence in 2018. The main goal of the project is to protect the homes in the area. The added sand will serve as a buffer for any future storms. The project will also make the beach safer. Erosion not only damages the shoreline but it’s also a danger to visitors because the steep slopes ( created by the erosion) make it very difficult for emergency vehicles to access all parts of the beach .
Leland has Big Plans for Founders Park
The town of Leland plans to do to massive renovations to Founders Park. Renovations will include building a splash pad, a veterans memorial, picnic shelters, updates playground, amphitheater and additional walking trails. Leland has already earmarked $2 million for the project and plans to request another $8 million in an installment loan financing to pay back over the next decade. Construction is anticipated to begin in October of this year. Founders Park is located at 113 Town Hall Drive .
All Aboard
Two Wilmington businessmen have launched an effort to bring passenger rail service from Wilmington to Raleigh. Gene Merritt, a Wilmington developer who helped to extend Interstate 40, and Steve Unger who pushed for the U.S. 17 Hampstead Bypass, have formed an organization called Eastern Carolina Rail and are now seeking nonprofit status for it. The organization will start a petition drive which is the first step to get federal backing. The entrepreneurs hope that the rail service could become a realty within 10 years. A 2005 feasibility study estimated the project would cost $180 million. The last time passenger rail service was offered between Wilmington and Raleigh was 1967.