New Bern Alerts
RESCHEDULED: Grand Opening of the New Stanley A. White Recreation Center
- Monday through Friday from 7am-9pm
- Saturday from 8am-6pm
- Closed on Sundays
- Monday through Friday from 10am-6pm
- Saturday from 9am-12pm
- Closed on Sundays
PRESS RELEASE: Grand Opening of the New Stanley A. White Recreation Center
New Bern Parks & Recreation invites the public to join us for the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Stanley A. White Recreation Center, located at 601 Third Avenue, on January 27 at 10am. The event was rescheduled from January 24 due to winter weather. This ceremony will include special remarks, tours of the facility and refreshments.
Construction of the original Stanley White Recreation Center, located at 901 Chapman Street, started in 1974 and the facility was officially dedicated in August 1976. It was approximately 14,000 square feet before it was renovated in 2011, which added another 4,000 square feet of additional meeting space, locker rooms and storage. Seven years later, hurricane Florence struck eastern North Carolina, and the recreation center was substantially damaged, mostly due to flooding which caused significant structural damage. Immediately after the storm, staff and our consultants began working with federal, state and insurance representatives for reimbursements.
In May 2023, the Board of Aldermen approved a construction contract with T.A. Loving Company and the groundbreaking for the new Stanley A. White Recreation Center was held on August 4. The new facility is located approximately one-tenth of a mile from its previous location. It is nearly twice the size of the old one at 35,000 square feet, including a double gym, elevated walking track, cardio and weight equipment and a fitness studio, meeting space, a health screening room, game room, and kitchen. Parks & Recreation staff will oversee program offerings such as athletics, classes, summer camps, special events, reservations and rentals, etc. The building will also serve as an emergency shelter.
“It was essential that we rebuild this amenity for our community after such a significant loss,” said Kari Warren, Director of Parks & Recreation. “The Stanley White Recreation Center was a staple in New Bern. Generations of people grew up there, learned new skills, played games, met their neighbors and gathered with their families for nearly 50 years. With the help of many hands, many phone calls, and countless meetings, we have a new recreation center to be proud of. It is a beautiful addition along one of the major gateways into downtown New Bern.”
The hours of operation for the Stanley A. White Recreation Center will be as follows:
Also effective on Monday, January 27, West New Bern Recreation Center, located at 1225 Pine Tree Drive, will follow new hours of operation:
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