The renovation is part of the City’s most recent Parks & Recreation Trust Fund grant. The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) awards matching grants to local governments for parks, public beach access, and improvements in state parks. The program helps local governments improve the quality of life in their communities.
The renovations at the aquatic center will include:
hallway from the main entrance to the racquetball court corridorfull-view glass doors to the racquetball courtsfamily locker roomfamily restroomemployee break roomshower dividers in the men’s locker roomnew lockers in the men’s and women’s locker roomsnew stall dividers in locker roomsnew flooring new LED lighting in the buildingnew sinks in the locker rooms and restroomsnew toilets in the restroomssix-person hot tub located on the deck of the indoor poolrefurbishing the outdoor pool slides
All of the new improvements will be ADA compliant.
In August, City Council approved the final project budget and hired J.M. Cope Construction to do the work. The project budget is $999,950 plus in-kind contributions from City staff. The City is funding the project with the $500,000 PART grant, $590,375 from American Recovery Plan Act funds, and $269,710 of City of Lenoir funds.
PARTF awarded the City of Lenoir its most recent PARTF grant in 2022 to build add new recreation elements to the aquatic center and soccer complex property. The City opened the Lenoir Splash Pad, phase one of the project, in June of this year.
Interim Special Projects Director David Coffey said J.M. Cope Construction has been a great partner.
“This is the first project the City has completed with the design/build process,” Coffey said. “We were able to work with the architects and the contractors throughout the design process and come up with a plan that fit the City’s budget.”
Coffey and J.M. Cope Construction created a construction schedule to reduce interference with visitors.
“We worked hard to come up with a phased construction plan to keep the aquatic center open with as little impact on users as possible,” Coffey said.
To help save money on the project, the City’s Public Works Building Maintenance staff is performing all of the electrical and HVAC work for the project. Building Maintenance will also help install the new hot tub.
“We’re very thankful to have Public Works Building Maintenance staff that can help with this project,” Coffey said. “Their work will save a lot of money on this project. That means we can get a lot more amenities with the funding we have.”
J.M. Cope Construction plans to be finished by March 31, 2026.
The Lenoir Aquatic & Fitness Center renovation is the latest in a series of recent improvements the City has made to parks and recreation centers in Lenoir. The City recently completed renovation to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center. In June last year, the City opened the Lenoir Splash Pad at the Lenoir Rotary Soccer Complex. The City expanded the pickleball courts and installed a new gym floor and new playground equipment at Mulberry Recreation Center. The City resealed and restriped the parking lots at the MLK Jr. Center, Lenoir Rotary Soccer Complex, and Unity Park & Community Gardens. The City also built a new pavilion at Community Gardens. The City added new greenway at the soccer complex that created a walking loop around the soccer fields.
Click the links below to read more about many of the recent parks and recreation improvements:
City celebrates renovations at MLK Jr. Center, Sept. 30, 2025City of Lenoir opens new splash pad, June 14, 2025City dedicates the David R. Horn Education Pavilion at Community Gardens, April 25, 2025City adding greenway connector loop at soccer complex, April 17, 2025City planning to install new play sets at Mulberry Recreation Center and West End Park, April 4, 2025Mulberry Recreation Center gym opening Thursday, December 31, 2024City installing more pickleball courts at Mulberry Recreation Center, October 23, 2024
Workers dig a hole to access the sewer line in the old hot tub room. The old hot tub room will be converted into a new family locker room and restroom.
This photo is looking into the men’s locker room from the racquetball corridor. This will be the new hallway from the main lobby to the racquetball corridor.
The men’s locker room is only the left of the plywood wall in this photo. The new exit from the men’s locker will with come into the new hallway.
