The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority has awarded $500,000 from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) for continued development of Fairview Park in Hillsborough.  

The grant was one of 21 awarded from an available $8.4 million to local governments for parks and recreational projects. Eighty-five applications were considered for the dollar-for-dollar matching grants. The Fairview Park application was a joint project of Orange County and the Town of Hillsborough. Hillsborough also was awarded $392,000 from PARTF for land acquisition for the next phase of Riverwalk along the Eno River.

Fairview Park will feature active and low-impact recreational facilities, including basketball courts, baseball field, volleyball court, horseshoes, picnic shelter, walking track, playground and hiking trails.  The facilities were selected based on a survey of community needs and on residents’ participation in the master plan. The park will be located with the Hillsborough police substation, which already is used for community meetings. Fairview Park will be an easy walk for many Fairview residents and within easy biking distance from downtown Hillsborough. It also will help implement the Hillsborough Parks and Recreation Master Plan that was adopted in 2007. 


The estimated cost for completing Phase I construction is $1,213,500. The PARTF grant will be matched with county bond funds budgeted specifically for Fairview Park development. 

County and town commissioners have identified Fairview Park construction as a high priority.  Phase I construction of the park is expected to begin in October of this year with completion projected for 2010.