- September 23, 2026
- 12:31 pm
Updated Concept Adds Parking, Community Space And Historic Features, But The Latest Estimate Is About $1 Million Higher Than The City’s Current Project Budget
UPDATED PLAN PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL
Thomasville City Council received its latest look Monday at the proposed redevelopment of Carver Park and the Reginald Strickland Center.
The conceptual design carries an estimated cost of approximately $4.7 million, including construction of the new center and related improvements across the property.
The plan emphasizes additional parking, improved community space and features recognizing the history of Carver Park and the Strickland Center. The existing center has served Thomasville for more than 70 years, making the project more than a routine building replacement for many residents.
Parks and Recreation Director Cory Tobin previously described the center as something “ingrained in our community.” He said the city wanted to honor that history while creating a modern recreational facility for future generations.
CONCEPTUAL ESTIMATE IS HIGHER THAN CURRENT PROJECT BUDGET
The approximately $4.7 million conceptual estimate is about $1 million higher than the city’s current project budget.
At its September 14 meeting, council established an estimated budget of approximately $3.7 million for the Carver Park and Strickland Center improvements.
That financial plan includes:
- Approximately $3.19 million in Community Development Block Grant Neighborhood Revitalization funding
- About $200,000 for additional engineering and design work
- Approximately $307,000 in contingency funding
The city’s local contribution includes roughly $146,000 from the Recreation Reserve and approximately $362,000 from the unassigned General Fund balance.
The difference should not yet be described as a formal $1 million budget overrun.
The $4.7 million figure is a conceptual construction estimate, while the approximately $3.7 million figure represents the project budget established by council. The two totals may not cover precisely the same work, design features or contingencies.
A line-by-line comparison will be needed before residents can determine how much additional funding, if any, the city will need.
CITY FACES SEVERAL POSSIBLE OPTIONS
If the final design remains above available funding, Thomasville could revise the plans, seek additional grants, increase its local contribution or complete some improvements in later phases.
City Council has not publicly committed to any of those options.
The next important step will be identifying which parts of the conceptual design are considered essential and which could be modified without weakening the project’s primary purpose.
Additional parking and improved recreational space may be priorities, but the project also carries a responsibility to preserve the property’s history. Balancing those goals within the available budget will likely shape the final design.
GRANT DEADLINE ADDS PRESSURE
The project is also operating under a tight funding schedule.
City staff previously told council that the state grant money must be spent by next August, with final reporting due in November. Failure to meet those requirements could place some of the funding at risk.
Council formally accepted an additional $2,246,138.70 in CDBG-NR funding on top of $950,000 previously appropriated for the project. Together, the two awards provide approximately $3.19 million in state grant funding.
The Piedmont Triad Regional Council of Governments will administer both grant awards under agreements totaling approximately $116,000. That work includes the required environmental review and other grant-management responsibilities.
The deadline means decisions concerning the design, funding, bidding and construction schedule cannot remain unresolved indefinitely.
COMMUNITY INPUT HELPED SHAPE THE PROJECT
The redevelopment grew out of Thomasville’s Parks and Recreation planning process and subsequent community outreach.
The city held a public meeting at Carver Park during the summer and invited residents to provide feedback through a survey.
Earlier plans described a modern center capable of supporting recreation, meetings and special events while recognizing the property’s history and longstanding place in the surrounding community.
The existing Strickland Center remains available for public rentals and sits alongside two full basketball courts, a playground and a shelter.
The latest plan’s attention to historic preservation is important. Replacing the center without acknowledging its role in the community would risk turning a longstanding neighborhood institution into an ordinary municipal building.
The final design will show how effectively Thomasville can combine that history with the need for a modern and practical facility.
COUNCIL APPROVES HITOMS LEASE REVISION
Council also approved an amendment to its agreement with the High Point-Thomasville HiToms.
The revision followed a change in the club’s league affiliation that affected provisions in its existing agreement, including language connected to alcohol sales at Finch Field.
The matter was discussed during council committee meetings earlier in September before reaching the full council.
The amendment helps define the club’s continued operation at Finch Field as its league arrangements change.
Finch Field remains an important part of Thomasville’s sports history and continues to attract players, families and visitors during the baseball season.
VERIZON WATER-TOWER LEASE EXTENDED
Council also approved an amendment to a water-tower lease agreement with Verizon Wireless.
The amendment extends the lease through 2040 and reportedly updates its annual rental terms.
The underlying amendment was not included in the public sources reviewed for this article, so the exact rent schedule and other financial provisions were not independently confirmed.
The agreement allows Verizon to continue using space on city infrastructure for communications equipment while providing lease revenue to Thomasville.
A BIGGER VISION NOW REQUIRES CLEARER NUMBERS
The Carver Park and Strickland Center redevelopment could provide Thomasville with a modern community facility while preserving the identity of a property that has served residents for generations.
The question is whether the complete $4.7 million concept can be delivered within the current budget and grant deadline.
A public comparison between the funded $3.7 million project and the $4.7 million conceptual design would help residents understand what changed, which features are essential and whether additional city money will be required.
The next phase should provide more than a completed rendering. It should give taxpayers a clear accounting of what Thomasville plans to build, how much it will cost and which funding sources will pay for it.
Steve is an entrepreneur, freelance writer, and super-geek tech nerd based in Lexington, NC. Steve specializes in social media platform development, website design, graphic design, and video production…and serving the one true creator of the universe, aka God.
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