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The Creekside Committee
The Creekside Committee was formed in 2001 in order to help Benchmark Inc. prepare the Town of Grifton Hazard Mitigation Plan. Throughout the creation of the Hazard
Mitigation Plan, the Creekside Committee focused not only hazard mitigation, but also on
the broad goal of establishing a committee focused on the reuse of property obtained
through the Federal Hazard Mitigation program instituted in Grifton in response to the
devastation caused by the flooding of Hurricane Floyd. Through the Hazard Mitigation
Buy-Out Program, the Town of Grifton obtained approximately 75 properties in and around the Town of Grifton. All of the property obtained in the Buy-Out program is located within the
100-year floodplain and can only be used for parks and open greenspace.
The property can never be built upon again.
In response to the acquisition of this property and its potential reuse, the Town of Grifton
Creekside Committee focused on what recreational opportunities were currently available
and what additional activities were desirable. Through several months of meetings and the assistance of Benchmark, Inc., the Creeskside Committee drafted a plan of action for
areas
of Town that had contiguous parcels that could be best utilized for recreational
areas.
Through this process, two areas were designated, the Lenoir Street property which
consists
of over 10 acres along the Contentnea Creek and the area adjacent to the existing
Grifton
Boat Landing.
Lenoir Street:
 The area on Lenoir Street had once been the home for over twenty
residential structures and had existing infrastructure in place; streets, electricity, water,
and sewer. Since the area is located in a designated FEMA floodway, property owners on Lenoir
Street could not rebuild their homes and there was 100% participation in the Federal
Buy-out program. The area that was obtained in the Buy-out program
 consists of 10 acres
and is adjacent to over 8 acres of property that was donated to the Town of Grifton by the
Russell Houston Family of Grifton. Since the infrastructure was already in place, the area
had great potential for a recreational vehicle area. The Creekside Committee agreed that
this would be the best utilization of the property and was included in a grant application to
the NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF).
Grifton Boat Landing: The area adjacent to the Grifton Boat Landing was also located
 in a designated FEMA Floodway. The Town of Grifton acquired four properties adjacent to the Boat Landing through the Buy-out program and the Town also purchased through
Town funds, two additional adjacent pieces of property. The Creekside Committee also
ranked this area high in priority because of the proximity to the existing Boat Landing,
Grifton Civic Center, Grifton Museum, and tennis court park. The Creekside Committee
included in the PARTF grant application a project that would completely renovate the
existing tennis courts and proposed a Creekside Overlook Memorial Park.
After a plan of action was established with specific focus areas, the Town of Grifton submitted a PARTF grant application for a total cost of $75,462.00. This grant
application included the complete renovation of the existing Civic Center Tennis Court area,
the construction of the Creekside Overlook Memorial Park that would include an overlook shelter, bathroom facilities, park benches and picnic tables, and a walking trail
area.
The application also included the utilization of the Lenoir Street area for the construction of a recreational vehicle park area, a sand volleyball court, the construction of several primitive campsites, walking trails, and the addition of picnic tables, grills, and park benches.
The Town of Grifton was awarded the PARTF grant for a total project cost of $75,462 over a
two year period. One year after the grant award, the Town has completed the renovation of
the Civic Center tennis court area and did the site preparation on Lenoir Street for the recreational vehicle area. The Creekside Committee is currently working on the site
plans for the Creekside Overlook Memorial Park and construction plans for the Lenoir
Street area.
With financial assistance from the Start With Your Heart CVH Program, the Town will be able to provide a wonderful, descriptive sign for the Lenoir Street Park area, now named the Contentnea Creek Trail Park. Below you will find a picture of what the sign will
look like for the Contentnea Creek Trail Park:
Contentnea Creekside Trail Park
Walking & Water Trails
RV Campsites
Primitive Campsites
"Rebirth from the Flood of 1999"
The Creekside Committee continues to meet on the first Tuesday of each month at the
Grifton Town Hall at 7:00pm. The Town, with the assistance from the
Creekside Committee, has been able to accomplish great things and this these efforts will
continue past
when this first project is complete. If you have any questions about the
Creekside Committee, wish to participate, or would like to make a tax-deductible gift to
improve the Town of Grifton, please contact Michael Peoples at Town Hall, 252-524-5168.
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