What is Fleming Loop Park?
The Town of Fuquay-Varina set out to master plan Fleming Loop Park, a 36-acre tract east of downtown. At the time, the Parks and Recreation Department saw the need for better play fields for soccer and baseball. WithersRavenel started planning for these improvements at Fleming Loop.
The master plan proposed the following:
- Four soccer fields
- Four baseball fields, including one signature stadium field
- A playground
- Upgraded parking facilities.
This plan was approved by the Town Council, but it remained a planning document for the next few years.
When did Fleming Loop Park get designed?
Fast-forward a few years when, despite not having any infrastructure besides a gravel parking lot and some portable toilets, it had become the Town’s most used park on weekends for various athletic programming.
Trends in local sports had evolved—soccer had outstripped baseball in popularity—and the Town decided to revise the master plan for this park to keep up with current demand. The Town needed multi-purpose fields that could host soccer, lacrosse, football, and even rugby. The Town of Fuquay-Varina had the park designed to accommodate a balloon festival with a large attendance.
Collaborating with the Town of Fuquay-Varina, WithersRavenel completed the master plan revision for the park property, locating seven multi-purpose play fields, an approximately one-mile walking trail, playgrounds, and shelters. The parking facilities were upgraded from undefined gravel and grassy areas to include 314 parking spaces with curb-and-gutter, storm drainage, and landscaping. The Town is currently running programming and also shares field time and space with local and regional sports organizations.
Fleming Loop Park PARTF grant
In addition, WithersRavenel assisted the Town in preparing documents for application to the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF). The application was successful and the PARTF grant was awarded; detailed design begin soon after.
After a carefully considered development process characterized by frequent stakeholder collaboration and communication, Fleming Loop Park re-opened.