Progress Report: Downtown Park
Cary, NC – One of the biggest changes coming to Downtown Cary this year will be the addition of the Downtown Park. We checked in on the park’s progress, plans for the site and show some photos of how it looks now.
Blame It On The Rain
Sarah Alexander, landscape architect for the Town of Cary, said the current timeline is for the Downtown Park to open in March or early April. But Alexander added that the opening has been pushed back before.
“Every month looks a little different,” Alexander said. “It’s mostly been weather-related slowdowns.”
Alexander also said there are a lot of moving pieces to organize, such as the tiered decorative fountain. The fountain will be one of the key features of the park, as well as space for table tennis, foosball and a bocce ball green.
Additionally, there will be a seating area with benches, an open green overseeing public artwork and a stage area by the fountain for small scale performances.
“Other than the stage performance area, which would be organized through the town, it will all be open to plan and available to the public,” Alexander said.
Connections to Downtown Cary
The Downtown Park is located at the intersection of Academy Street and Dry Avenue/Kildaire Farm Road, across the street from the Cary Arts Center.
But the park is also in front of the coming Wake County Regional Library and Alexander said that entire block has been planned to go together.
“Once the library is done, we are planning on tying it in with the park with walkways and trails,” Alexander said.
The new library will also include a parking deck and Alexander urged any visitors to the Downtown Park to use the deck once it is completed.
Photos of Downtown Park
To see the current progress on the Downtown Park, check out these photos of construction and the surrounding area.
Story by Michael Papich. Photos by Hal Goodtree.
I’d assume none of the groundscaping is being done yet – there’s too much heavy machinery still driving around and over the area.
No point in putting in even plain sidewalks, if there’s a crane being rolled over it every couple of days.
Too bad there isn’t also a dog park. There isn’t one near downtown and that would’ve made this perfect. It’s a big missing, especially given how much other towns incorporate dog parks into their plans.
There’s a long-existing dog park just a mile and a half from dead-center downtown (1.5 miles from Godbold Park to the door of Ashworth Drugs). A second is down south in Jack Smith park.
“In” downtown, sure, there isn’t one – but it’s not like there isn’t one within 5 minutes of downtown.
What will the bowl on the pedestal hold? It better be FIRE, because that would be awesome. :) (Montreal has a fire fountain)