In the shake out of projects and funding levels that has happened to Gov. Pat McCrory’s Connect NC bond proposal in the months it has undergone legislative consideration, the fate of several local cultural site projects has remained uncertain.
Originally, the $2 billion Connect NC contained several millions in funds for a new visitors center for Battleship North Carolina, another $3.5 million to stabilize the river shoreline of Brunswick Town and, as part of a larger package, money to repair roofs and do electrical and mechanical work at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area facilities.
The latest version of the Connect NC Bond Act of 2015, passed in the Senate last week and at the top of the N.C. House calendar for Monday, contains no money for the Battleship or Brunswick Town projects. Gone too is the chunk of money earmarked for common repair and replacement needs at state parks and recreation areas statewide. There also is no undesignated pot of money for cultural and recreational projects, as was true in earlier versions of the bill.
Instead, the current list of fund recipients includes specific amounts of money for specific sites, including Carolina Beach State Park and Fort Fisher State Recreation Area.
"Projects at Carolina Beach State Park and Fort Fisher State Recreation Area were not among those 28 suggested in McCrory’s initial Connect NC bond proposal,” Charlie Peek, spokesman for the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation said in an email last week. “But priority projects we put forward since that time are these: Upgrades to the Carolina Beach campground, most specifically the addition of utilities in the campsites, and renovations to the bathhouse, visitor center and picnic area at Fort Fisher.”
As the bond act legislation stands, Carolina Beach State Park would receive $855,000 for its project, and Fort Fisher would receive $1.125 million.
Officials at the N.C. Department Cultural Resources said they were pleased the current version of the bond act does include funds for state parks and some attractions, such as the N.C. Zoo, but were disappointed that the Battleship North Carolina visitors center funding was omitted.
“The budget signed by the Governor last week does include $3.5 million for the Battleship NC for hull repair. While we wish the new Visitors’ Center had been included in the Connect NC Bonds, we are thankful the hull repair was a part of the budget,” department spokeswoman Cary Cox said in an email last week.
Battleship NC assistant director Chris Vargo said last week he was happy that the new visitors center was still in the discussion.
"Nothing is final, at least not yet," he said. "We may have some better luck at the end with some other monies in that bond."
Cox added that no conference committee is expected on the bond bill. That is an indication that officials expect the House to approve the version of the bill passed by the Senate. If the bill is approved by the House and signed by McCrory, it will go before voters in 2016, perhaps as soon as the March primary election.
