Rockingham County celebrated the completion of phase one of Hogans Creek Park, formally Belews Park.
Wentworth, NC – Rockingham County announced the opening of Hogans Creek Park, located on Stanley Road, Stokesdale. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to honor the contributions made by numerous organizations, volunteers, and funders, which made the project possible.
Rockingham County celebrated the completion of phase one of Hogans Creek Park, formally Belews Park on November 1, 2023. County officials, the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA), Nestlé Purina, and Duke Energy representatives were in attendance to meet with residents to officially open Hogans Creek Park and highlight the amenities offered. Those include a fully functioning restroom, parking lot, large kiosk with park detail, half mile of trail (both hiking and mountain biking), picnic tables, and a sound garden.
In December of 2017, Duke Energy donated 105 acres of land to Rockingham County. A community committee, that included County representatives and Rockingham Community College staff, was formed. In March 2018, the committee released a master plan for the land intending to ensure the future park would meet the needs of the surrounding community.
“We worked hard for the past 3 years with partners to open this beautiful park,” DRBA representative Anna Wheeler said before the ribbon cutting. “We look forward to expressing our gratitude to our volunteers, funders, and other partners that have been integral to the opening of this park.”
Nestlé Purina gifted DRBA more than $20,000 to build the trail and to purchase benches and signage seen on the property. The trail was built by Round Rock Design and completed by DRBA volunteers. Rockingham County Government provided the parking lot, concrete slab, and picnic tables along with a bathroom located at the top of the trail.
Currently, phase one is complete with a committee goal to revisit the master plan and hopefully move forward with designs for phase two. Recently, the Rockingham County Tourism Development Authority approved funding for a shelter to be built in early 2024.
“Hogans Creek Park adds to the outdoor recreation assets available to the community and visitors.” Rockingham County Tourism Manager, Lindsay Pegg stated, “{The park} is now one of three major outdoor recreation assets located on the western side of the county…We would love to see a dog park, disc golf, and additional trails be built.”