City of Lenoir City Council held a ribbon cutting last week to celebrate recent renovations at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center.
Parks and Recreation Director Phil Harper said he appreciated Council’s support for the department and recent projects to approve not only the MLK Jr. Center, but also Mulberry Recreation Center, and the Lenoir Aquatic & Fitness Center.
“I want to thank Council for approving the renovations here at the MLK Jr. Center as well as our other recreation centers here in Lenoir,” Director Harper said. “We have great facilities, city parks, and recreation programs, and it’s important that we continue to invest in, maintain, and improve our centers for our residents.”
Renovations to the MLK Jr. Center include:
- new interior floor
- new tables, chairs, and ceiling fans in the community room
- new toilets in all restrooms
- tennis court resurfacing
- outdoor basketball court renovation
- new weight room equipment
- new exterior doors
- exterior repairs, cleaning, and painting
- gutter replacement and trim repair
- HVAC replacement
- new ADA accessibility from the parking lot
In addition to those renovations, the City Public Works Department removed a lot of old vegetation around the building and will install new landscaping this fall. Staff also plan to paint the interior of the building.
City Council approved the MLK Jr. Center renovation project in July 2024. The project budget was $300,000. Funding for the improvements came from the North Carolina State Capital & Infrastructure Fund.
The MLK Jr. Center renovation is the latest in a series of recent improvements the City has made to parks and recreation centers in Lenoir. In June last year, the City opened the Lenoir Splash Pad at the Lenoir Rotary Soccer Complex. The City expanded the pickleball courts and installed a new gym floor and new playground equipment at Mulberry Recreation Center. The City resealed and restriped the parking lots at the MLK Jr. Center, Lenoir Rotary Soccer Complex, and Unity Park & Community Gardens. The City also built a new pavilion at Community Gardens. The City added new greenway at the soccer complex that created a walking loop around the soccer fields.
Click the links below to read more about many of the recent parks and recreation improvements:
- City of Lenoir opens new splash pad, June 14, 2025
- City dedicates the David R. Horn Education Pavilion at Community Gardens, April 25, 2025
- City adding greenway connector loop at soccer complex, April 17, 2025
- City planning to install new play sets at Mulberry Recreation Center and West End Park, April 4, 2025
- Mulberry Recreation Center gym opening Thursday, December 31, 2024
- City installing more pickleball courts at Mulberry Recreation Center, October 23, 2024
The City is also working on renovations to West End Park and major renovations to the Lenoir Aquatic & Fitness Center.
After the ribbon cutting, which was held on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, Center Manager Lester Whittington took Council on a tour of the improvements.
The MLK Jr. Center is located at 313 Greenhaven Dr. NW in Lenoir. Click the following link to learn more about Lenoir’s city parks, greenway, and recreation facilities and programs, Parks & Recreation.
