Community Vision Becomes Reality as Johnston County Begins Park Construction

 

For Immediate Release:  November 24, 2025

 

Smithfield, NC - Johnston County will break ground on its first park on Friday, Dec. 5. The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. at 444 Matthews Road, Clayton, in the County’s Cleveland community. The event is free and open to the public.

The groundbreaking launches the construction of Johnston Regional Park, an 82-acre, amenity-filled recreation complex and the first park that Johnston County will own and operate.

“With this groundbreaking, we celebrate not only the start of Johnston Regional Park construction, but also the passion of the Cleveland community and the responsiveness and vision of its leaders and County Commissioners,” said R.S. “Butch” Lawter Jr., chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners.

Construction of Johnston Regional Park will be in phases, with four pickleball courts, two basketball courts, a fishing pond and parking up first. Later phases will bring multi-use fields, walking trails, a playground, dog park, disc golf course, skate park and amphitheater.

“This park is a promise that when community and leadership work hand in hand, we create spaces for recreation, wellness, and gathering that empower, unite, and inspire Johnston County and the entire region for generations,” Lawter said.

The County bought the land in 2020 from a group of Cleveland residents who wanted to ensure that their fast-growing community would have parkland for its residents. Denton Lee was among the five residents who bought the land initially. “The first phase of the park will help address the need for open space, recreational space, and off-road walking trails for the more than 45,000 citizens who live within 5 miles of the park,” he said. “We will have a park where children and adults can safely be outdoors and enjoy recreational opportunities on public land.”

“For me personally, the ground-breaking is a satisfying benchmark in a long effort to see this beautiful 82-acre property become a park,” Lee added. A mix of grant and county dollars will fund the $4 million cost of phase one construction, said Adrian O’Neal, head of the County’s Parks and Open Space Department. For updates on Johnston Regional Park, go to the Parks and Open Space Updates.

 

1) This rendering shows the eventual layout of Johnston Regional Park, which the County will build in phases.

 

2) Public invitation for the Johnston County Regional Park Groundbreaking.