Concerns grow about future of popular biking trails, park near Raleigh-Durham Airport
MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- More than 100 people squeezed into Morrisville's town hall Tuesday evening to sound off about the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority's lease of Lake Crabtree County Park and potential development of the land.
The park is nestled among 1,600 acres surrounding the RDU corridor.
"It's a huge recreational opportunity. It's a huge natural resource opportunity. It should be just left alone," said Parker Perkins, a Cary resident whose family uses the park frequently.
Wake County currently leases the park's 182 acres from RDU, but the airport recently declined a new five-year agreement with county. Instead, the authority opted for a one-year deal that allows the authority to back out with a 45-day notice.
"We have groups that are ready to invest money right today in maintaining those trails," explained Morrisville Mayor Mark Stohlman. "Quite frankly, it's hard for them to consider spending close to $100,000 on something that can be taken away in 45 days."
The new lease came late last year after the airport expressed interest in developing most of the park into office space or a hotel to create more revenue.
"I understand the airport needs to find revenue, but I'm sure New York City needed to find revenue and they were able to plan Central Park," Perkins told ABC11.
Members of the Triangle Off-Road Cyclists hope RDU will consider alternatives to prevent one of the county's most popular green spaces from disappearing.
"We're trying to figure out a way that we can find a way to protect this great space, use it for our future," said T.O.R.C. President David Housekeeper.
The airport authority chairman says he plans to hold a series of public conversations beginning in June that will last the next 18 months. At that time, the authority board will draft a master plan that will take park users' feedback into consideration.
Click here for more details on the effort to save the trails and the park.
