In December, Orange County purchased 145 acres of land in the northeastern part of the county for a future county park.

The site is located near the rural crossroads community of Schley, five miles northeast of Hillsborough. The land was purchased for $1,455,300 from Hillsborough resident F.M. Kirby as part of the county’s Lands Legacy Program.

According to county officials, the future park will likely feature a combination of active and low-impact recreation, including playing fields, nature trails and picnic areas. In addition, the county is considering using a small portion of the site for a solid-waste convenience center for residents in the northeast part of the county. The center would replace the former solid-waste convenience center on N.C. 57 that closed in 2007. Funds have not yet been identified for park development or operation at the site.

The Lands Legacy Program has now acquired more than 2,200 acres of critical natural and cultural resource lands and future park sites in the county. The Lands Legacy Program, founded in April 2000, is a voluntary program that seeks to conserve the county’s most critical natural and cultural resource lands for future generations.