We congratulate the Town of Cary, North Carolina as they officially opened the Downtown Park in early December. More than 20 years in the making, and four years from the adoption of a comprehensive master plan that considered the role of open space in community development, the 7-acre park is a new civic commons that showcases the beauty and diversity of the Piedmont region. Programmed areas were considered based on historic, cultural, and environmental needs, resulting in a park composition of outdoor rooms dispersed across the steep site. Bounded on four sides by active streets, the interior pathways are organized by curvilinear circulation that frames open vistas and views and creates transparency between active and passive areas. A major feature is a central stormwater pond that helps collect and detain rainwater across a 30-foot grade change that traverses the site. Other green infrastructure for flood control includes rain gardens planted with native and adaptive species and subsurface drainage systems. The park makes a place for people to gather together for performances and celebrations, as well as to play, connect to nature, or simply experience the joy of community.
20231207_The Architects Newspaper_Downtown Cary Park