Red Banks Farm Recreation Complex

Where is Red Banks Farm?
The County purchased 95 acres off of West Queen Street known as "Red Banks Farm" in 2003. The property is beside the Edenton National Fish Hatchery off of West Queen Street and borders Pembroke Creek. 


Why was this site selected?
When the property was purchased, the Board of Commissioners at that time, hoped to build a centralized recreation complex. The 2024 Master Plan identifies this property as a significant unutilized asset.  Today, the Board of Commissioners agree that this site is best suited for a recreation complex.

What could a Recreation Complex include?
In 2007 a consultant provided the county with a sketch of what could be built at Red Banks Farm. (the sketch from 2007 is in the right sidebar of this page). A complex could potentially include baseball/softball fields, multipurpose fields, tennis/pickleball courts, walking trails, paddling trails, picnic shelters and a playground. The Board of Commissioners in various meetings have discussed the construction of a new gymnasium to be built on the site.  The monies used to purchase the property in 2003 came from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, and because of this, there were restrictive covenants placed on the land which limit the types of uses that can be built on the property. The Board has been advised that there is potential to apply for waivers from these restrictive covenants. However, if the waivers cannot be obtained, there is adjoining property that the County could purchase where indoor facilities can be built.

What will happen to the existing facilities?
All Recreation Facilities are owned by Chowan County. The County Commissioners will decide what will happen. The Board has discussed transitioning existing facilities into passive play parks or the existing facilities could be sold for non-recreation development.

What will be the first step to design for a Recreation Complex?
The 2024 Master Plan recommends that a site-specific master plan be developed for the Red Banks Farm site to update the design of a park that meets the current needs of the community and its visitors.