DIRECTOR’ S MESSAGE
We’ re excited to share with you the 2026-2027 Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Program Guide. In these pages, you will find information about more than 100 recreational and cultural programs that we offer throughout our recreation centers, sports fields, and parks. From pre-school fitness to youth leagues to senior field trips, there is something for everyone to have fun and stay active! Our special events, including our signature Garner Independence Day Celebration and the popular Trick or Treat the Trail, reached more than 22,500 people last year. Programs at our recreational facilities reached a combined 23,194 program hours. We continue to add programs throughout the year, so be sure to follow us on social media, sign up for our e-newsletter, and check our website periodically for updates.
In 2026, the momentum from the 2021 Park Bond is truly coming to life across the Garner park system. This year, we opened two new amenities in our park system: an inclusive playground at the Garner Recreation Center and the Town’ s first splash pad at White Deer Park. These vibrant additions provide countless hours of fun for the young people in our town, encouraging active play and helping our young residents make new friends. New playgrounds at the Avery Recreation Center and South Garner Park were installed with the Penny for Parks program, dedicated funding authorized by the Town Council to support upgrades across the park system. Other Penny for Parks upgrades included replacing pedestrian bridges in various parks, new grills and picnic tables, and upgraded backstops and fencing at Garner Rec Park’ s ballfields. Construction is underway for another new playground at White Deer Park, scheduled to open later this year.
But there’ s more to come! This fall, we’ ll celebrate the grand opening of the much-anticipated Yeargan Park, located on East Garner Road in downtown Garner. Master planned in 2021, the park features four multiuse sports fields, a large picnic shelter, and an inclusive play area. The park’ s construction was funded by the 2021 Park Bond with additional grants from Wake County Small Capital Projects Program and the N. C. Parks & Recreation Trust Fund. Capital projects are a team sport, and for Yeargan Park, the Raleigh-based John R. McAdams Company led design, marshalling the talents of engineers and architects who then worked alongside construction manager Balfour Beatty. We can’ t wait to welcome the community to the ribbon-cutting and begin hosting tournaments and athletic programs in the months to come.
The Garner PRCR team is truly grateful for the enthusiasm and support for parks, recreation, and cultural experiences shown by people of all ages across Garner. We are excited to build on this momentum and share even more ways to play, connect, and explore in the year ahead!
Maria Munoz-Blanco Director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources
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