Bonds for parks, education or libraries usually appear on the ballot in November, but this year one bond in particular is drawing attention because of its size.

In this election, the town of Cary is asking its citizens to vote on two bonds worth a total of $590 million. The much larger bond, $560 million, will be used to build multiple parks and recreation facilities. Cary voters will also consider a $30 million affordable housing bond. These bonds are only held by Cary. As Wake County residents, Cary voters will also vote on a $142 million countywide library bond.

$560 million parks and recreation bond fund six projects$300 million is a huge sum for a sports and recreation community center in the South Hills area. City council member Sarika Bansal said the projects aim to meet the needs of Cary’s growing population.

“The town really needs these facilities in the next phase,” Bansal said. “Given the growth we’ve had, we can’t afford not to build it. We absolutely need community centers, parks, and improving our facilities, maintaining our facilities.”

Since 2010, Cary’s population has increased by approximately 38%. It currently consists of approximately 187,000 residents. according to town officials. John Collins, the town’s parks and recreation director, said demand for recreational services has increased as more people live in Cary.

“When you go to the Cary Arts Center, you see these classes are completely full,” he said. “There’s a waiting list for most of the things we do there. So from a demand standpoint, citizens are actively interested in the programs and services that we’re able to provide, and they often want more of them.”

If two Cary-only bonds are approved, the city would increase the property tax rate by 9 cents. Since the current rate is 32.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value, the increase in property taxes would be approximately 26%. The increase will not happen overnight; There will be increases of 3 cents in 2026, 2028 and 2030.

Parking bonds accounted for by far the largest portion of this increase, about 8.5 cents. In real terms, this means that the owner of a $400,000 home’s property tax bill will increase by $340 per year.

Some residents, including longtime resident Mary Collins, question the cost of parks and recreation bonds, The News & Observer reported. carybonds.infoa website protesting the cost of the bond in question.

When interest costs are factored in, the cumulative cost of parks and recreation bonds could be close to $875 million. throughout the life of the bondIncluding estimated interest of $314 million.

Carybonds.info does Various arguments for voting against parks bondThat includes the fact that residents are still helping pay off the town’s 2019 park bond, which helped fund Downtown Cary Park. Additionally, the website states that the $560 million bond will help cover the planning and construction costs of these projects, but will not cover operating costs.

“We the citizens of Cary are concerned about the potential overruns and null control of this project,” according to a PowerPoint on Carybonds.info. “Because this is a large bond, money can easily be moved from one project to another. Considering that the operating cost of the $70 million downtown park is $7 million/year, the operating cost increases for this bond will be significant.”

When asked about the cost of parks and recreation bonds, Collins acknowledged the plan is important.

“I would definitely say this is a bold investment,” Collins said. “I think that’s somewhat consistent with Cary’s history. We’ve been bold in our investments in the past, and those investments have served us really well.”

He added that if the bond is not approved by voters, the projects will not move forward. The city council could try to implement any of the projects again at a later time.

Projects reflect a growing and changing community

Sarıka Bansal, who was elected to the municipal council in 2023, said that the projects to be financed by the bond have been worked on for years.

Projects that the park and recreation partnership will finance:

• $10 million for an Asian Garden at Raftery Park on White Oak Church Road
• $60 million to expand the Cary Tennis Park clubhouse and stadium and add several new pickleball courts.
• $150 million for Mills Park Community Center
• $10 million for nature park on Earnest Jones Road
• $300 million for a sports and recreation community center in the South Hills area
• $30 million for a three-mile greenway extension along Walnut Creek

If residents vote yes on the bond, three of the projects would be built in the Bansal area, which includes west Cary. Michelle Gao, 43, was among several Cary residents who told WUNC they voted in favor of the bond because they thought the benefits outweighed the costs.

“I live in West Cary, and I’m telling you, it’s a 30-minute drive to anywhere I need to drive,” said Gao, who has lived in the town for 16 years. “We really need more facilities in West Cary, like senior centers and recreation centers.”

One of the projects, the Asian Garden, is an idea originating from Rep. Ya Liu, D-Wake, who formerly represented Bansal’s district on the city council and whose N.C. House district covers a portion of Wake County west of Cary. Chatham County line. Liu said he proposed the project shortly after being elected to the city council in 2019 and was inspired by the popularity of the Chinese Lantern Festival, held each winter at the Koka Booth Amphitheater.

“Cary has a very large Asian population,” Liu said. “It would mean a lot to all of us to have something that pays homage to our culture and heritage. A botanical garden with flowers and trees from all over Asia is something everyone can enjoy.”

Cary’s Asian population has grown tremendously in recent years and now makes up 21% of the town’s entire population.

Meanwhile, the sports and entertainment center proposed in the bond will also be built on the land where the South Hills Shopping Center is located. South Hills, also known as Cary’s oldest shopping center, has had problems in recent years, but its parking lot is still packed with customers shopping at Grand Asia Market, which has been serving North Carolina’s Asian American residents for nearly three decades.

Loden Properties, a Raleigh-based developer, acquired the South Hills property in 2021 and plans have since been made to redevelop it. The Cary City Council last Tuesday approved the company’s rezoning request for mixed-use development.

Approval of the bond measure will determine whether the town of Cary can build the proposed facility, Collins said sports and recreation facility at the South Hills property, which will include a 70,000-square-foot community center, senior center spaces, an e-sports center and several courts for indoor sports. If the bond measure does not pass, Loden will still move forward with the redevelopment.

Construction is estimated to begin in late 2025, Loden Properties partner Henry Ward said in an email to WUNC. He added that the company offered opportunities for Grand Asia Market to remain in the South Hills, but the market rejected the offer and is exploring other options. .

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referenced the Cary City Council’s rationale for combining parks and recreation projects into a single bond.