Wake County breaks ground on Kellam Wyeth County Park after land donation and bond funding decision

Wake County officials and community partners gathered to break ground on Kellam Wyeth County Park on land donated by the Kellum Wyeth family.

Chris Snow, director of Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space, outlined the project's history and thanked donors and partners for making the park possible. "We are breaking ground on a new park today," Snow said, noting the project's path from a 2018 approach by the City of Oaks Foundation to the county's adoption of a master plan in 2021.

Susan Evans, chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, thanked the Kellum Wyeth family and voters who supported the 2018 parks bond. "The estimates now is that we still have about 66 people a day moving into Wake County," Evans said, framing park acquisition and open-space preservation as part of the county's response to growth.

County Manager David Ellis recognized the collaborative work behind the project and said the board recently voted to use some of the 2018 Parks, Recreation, Greenways and Open Space Bond to build the park. County staff noted the master plan was adopted in 2021 and that the land donation was accepted by the board in 2018.

Officials also acknowledged partners including the City of Oaks Foundation (holder of the conservation easement), design and construction contractors and county parks staff. The ceremony included recognition of bluebird boxes to honor the family and a photo-op shovel ceremony to mark the start of construction.