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Opening Day 2023

Sunday, November 19, 2023, marked the Ribbon Cutting Celebration and Grand Opening of Downtown Cary Park. After approximately two and a half years of collaboration, teamwork, and construction, the seven-acre haven was primed and ready to welcome visitors.  Huge crowds of people flooded in to experience the unveiling of the new Park, as dignitaries and Cary Town Council delivered remarks honoring individuals who had contributed to the development of this state-of-the-art Park.

Festivities of the much-anticipated event kicked off the Park’s incredible programmatic calendar and featured renowned trumpet player, Al Strong, and the Al Strong Quintet. Al and his quintet performed to a happy crowd of visitors from all over the Triangle at the Great Lawn Pavilion.  

Emmy-winning actor Jim O’Heir, known for his role in Parks and Recreation joined the celebration participating in a celebrity meet and greet, and as an emcee, story time reader and more.

It was a day-long celebration commemorating Cary’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and a thriving community in the heart of downtown Cary.  To stay up to date on all things Downtown Cary Park visit https://downtowncarypark.com/ 

Fall 2023

The fall has brought even more rich and vibrant colors to the Park, as grass and additional plantings have taken root at the Great Lawn, the Botanical Gardens, and the Gathering Garden.  The two Botanical Gardens at Park Street Courts and under the Skywalk feature winding pathways, pollinator floras, some of the Park’s largest legacy trees, and plenty of shade.  In addition, “tree-cycled” benches and power outlets have been added for comfort and convenience.

The stairway leading from Academy Plaza down to the Great Lawn is nearly ready to be climbed.  Trusses, stage lighting, and sound equipment are being installed at the Great Lawn Pavilion. Fire bowls in the Hillside Groves surrounding the Great Lawn are ready to keep you warm this winter.

The Splash Pad has been covered in the same soft mat-like material as The Nest.  Sturdy climbing holds have been installed around the slides at The Nest.

Mesh-like safety guards have been placed on several railings throughout the Park.

Informational signs have been positioned throughout the Park to help inform visitors and tell Downtown Cary Park’s story.

At the Gathering House, cream-colored blinds are being added to the 28 French doors. 

Lastly, work is complete on the Tiered Water Feature, including the picturesque babbling brook.  Soft trickling water flows near the Gathering Garden, Great Lawn Pavilion, Botanical Gardens, and Willow Isle, creating tranquil settings for relaxation. 

August 2023 

The heat was on in July, but that didn’t stop the progress of our A-Team construction crew. If you peer over the fence you will see a pop of green as turf grass has been laid at The Great Lawn and the multipurpose lawn in Town Square.

Additional benches have been installed throughout the Park—some of which are “tree-cycled!” The Nest is now covered in a squishy play surface and features a total of six slides for all to enjoy. The babbling brook was filled with stones, and soon the water will be flowing through it.

The Botanical Gardens are being filled with more native and adaptive plants for our pollinator friends. The Hillside Grove fire pits are taking shape for those chilly evenings. Strategically placed power outlets have been installed to allow food trucks to plug in, instead of being dependent on those noisy generators. And finally, string lights have been draped throughout Park Street Courts so future putt-offs and table tennis rivalries can be enjoyed past sunset.

 July 2023

The word on the street from residents of The Walker Apartments is that they love the changing view of the Park. With their front-row view, they can see it’s all coming together.

The Great Lawn is beginning to take shape as the walkway that surrounds most of the area has been poured.

The plant life around a grove of River Birch trees in the arena is now bursting with color. By the end of the year, there will be 66,000 plants making Downtown Cary Park their new home.

Light Passage, a public art piece from the artist team, Haddad Drugan is just about finished. Demiurge Design fabricated and installed the piece that wraps around a portion of the Skywalk. As LED lights flow through its four rings a colorful and brilliant piece of art will emerge. The light reflections from the middle pond will be stunning. This work was inspired by the Park’s tree canopy, bird nests, fireflies, and sunlight.

The Nest is coming along with a new playground surface that is a solid mat-like material for all visitors to enjoy.

Lastly, toward the end of June, you may have noticed the beloved fountain in Towne Square was flowing briefly so that the construction crew could complete some testing.

June 2023

May brought lots of plants and rain to the Park, making it look much more green and lush.  Flowering vegetation is blossoming and welcoming in our pollinator friends, the very first Park visitors. Bees are a vital component to ecosystem health and to maintaining the Park’s lovely botanical gardens and native pollinator plants.  

The Skywalk has been fitted with multiple benches along the walkway. Soon you be able to stroll along all 471 feet of it, taking in the sights, sounds, and beauty of the Park.  Just below is another path that traverses the lower pond. This walkway is being covered in the same hardwood to match the Skywalk.

Up at Academy Pavilion, the Western Red Cedar that covers the building is all nearly installed. Additionally, the market in this building is being fitted with shelving and a point-of-sale station.

The Towne Square multi-purpose lawn is taking shape and is getting ready for sod to be laid.

At The Nest Play Area, new slides have been installed to keep the fun going. And lastly, mechanical and electrical work is well underway to light the Park.

May 2023

With sunnier days in this spring, the Park is really taking shape. It is buzzing with energy and getting greener each day as final touches are added to some of the main structures and landscaping is planted.

The Bark Bar has newly mounted lights and a deep green artificial turf in the nearby Barkyard. Another play area featuring a similar “green” space is the artificial turf putting green, with movable holes at the Park Street Courts. The Gathering House is closer to completion with 28 newly hung French doors that open onto a soon-to-be blooming patio paradise. Seventeen feet above the ground, benches have been installed along the scenic Skywalk.

From the Skywalk view the Park is getting greener and lusher with the planting of 650 native and adaptive trees, all regionally selected and sourced. Tree lovers will be happy to learn that more than 30 heritage trees have been preserved. Each one has its own protected root zone away from the construction to help keep them healthy for years to come. Among the heritage trees, beautiful native plants and shrubs are beginning to dot the recently poured winding sidewalks that surround all 7 acres of the Park.

February 2023

There has been a flurry of activity at the park since September, so we have many updates to provide! Firstly, all four of the main structures at the park (The Pavilion, The Academy Street Pavilion, The Bark Bar, and The Gathering House) are nearing completion.

At The Pavilion, sidewalks are being poured, the Western Red Cedar ceiling is nearly complete, and the clay roof is up next. The Academy Street Pavilion’s slab floor has been poured and will be ground and polished in the coming weeks. The ceiling (made from the same wood as The Pavilion's) is also complete. The Bark Bar is the first structure to be almost completely done! It is only missing a few finishing touches. Finally, The Gathering House (which has a new, gorgeous floor) is also nearly complete, with the final steps being restroom accessories and paint.

Moving on to other areas of the park. The Nest Children’s Play Area is really taking shape. Our iconic cardinals are in place, and their nearby nest play structure is currently being assembled. The Stormwater Pond is taking form with the construction of a small-scale dam in The Lower Pond and reworked stones up in The Babbling Brook section. Finally, many trees and plantings have begun to arrive and should be planted in the coming weeks.

September 2022

 The Bark Bar is energized and stainless-steel cladding will finished in the next few weeks. Fence footings have been poured for the Barkyard. Academy Plaza building walls are being hung and ceilings are being framed out. Electrical rough-in and mechanical is nearing completion, and zinc roof panels and gutters going on.  Glass walls being installed in this building as well. Underground work is starting around Academy to prep for paver installations for the plaza. The Pavilion construction is working towards hanging of ceilings and inspections. The smallest building in the Park – The Nest Restroom down to a punch list.  Glass has been installed on clerestory windows at Gathering House and metal framing for back of house is underway. The Nest pump room stone caps are done and the stairs have been installed that come down from Phase I of the Park. Our sub-contractors are working through soils that will be coming in and making sure this is correct.

June 2022

Work is happening on all fronts in the Park!  The Bark Bar has gutter fabrication and zinc roof panel installation ongoing with the beautiful wood ceiling installation to start this week.  The walk-in cooler installation is nearly done! Over in The Nest, the restroom plumbing fixtures are being installed and that structure will be buttoned up and ready for inspections. Otherwise in The Next, the splash pad rough in ongoing with an amazing rock wall structure being finished up and the bridge from the parking deck taking shape. The Academy Plaza Building structural steel erection is being done right now. MEP installations are ongoing with the walk In Cooler / Freezer Installation in the Market support kitchen completed. The Pavilion structure is continuing to take shape with the framing of the green room / mechanical rooms on stage right. The Trash Enclosure is getting ready for the roof and final painting.   The Levee Wall at the far end of the Pond is getting stone veneer.

April 2022

As of April, 2022, the project is 40% done. The new driveway between the Hunter House and the Academy Plaza building is completed. Sub-grading is ongoing on the site and 95% of the total site will be at the final elevation soon. The Nest abutment retaining wall has been poured in preparation for the installation of the bridges that will come over form Phase I and the parking deck. The Bark Bar has ongoing inspections and brick installation.  The Academy Plaza should be poured out by the first week in May.  The Pavilion has finished all the major welds and the scaffolding shoring has been removed. The Nest restroom is having inspections conducted with finishes coming soon. The Trash House brick is completed and ready for the roof trusses.  

March 2022

Installation of infrastructure and patchwork for all of surrounding streets is completed. The final paving / curb and gutter on Walker Street will happen later in the spring. In the meantime, Walker Street is being cleaned daily. A lot of pedestrian traffic is happening on Walker Street. Reminder that this remains a construction zone and pedestrians should choose other locations.

The Pavilion should be welded out within the next two weeks with rebar for columns and concrete poured soon. The stormwater vault is set.

Bark Bar works continues with MEP Rough-in and roof blocking for the zinc roof panels ongoing. Brick and insulation installation has been started. Academy Plaza pouring of columns and walls this week. Roof should be started in several weeks. Pavilion steel should be done next week with decking to follow. Concrete columns will be added soon. Topping out brick at the Nest restroom is happening. The Gathering House starting to gear up. Trash enclosure starting to go vertical. Nest slope boulder installation ongoing.  

January 2022

The new gas line into the park has been installed between the Hunter House and the Academy Plaza building.  The repour of the new driveway should happen in the next few days. The Trash enclosure will be going vertical in the next few weeks. The Nest pump room foundation is being installed and the backfilling will be occurring shortly. At the Bark Bar – framing of the bar ceiling and prep for in-wall rough in. At the Academy plaza – crews are working through sandblasting the retaining wall final patching. The Annex slab is placed and complete. Duct work installation in basement scheduled to start soon. Basement to be taking off in a few weeks.  The Nest restroom is dried in with a temporary roof.

December 2021

Walker Street curb and gutter has been repaired down to Gate One – the rest will be done at the end of Walker Street road closure in May 2022. East Park Street was closed for removal of old storm pipe that and installation of utilities and the road is now open. A temporary pedestrian walkway is in place until the sidewalk gets installed. Work to prepare for the start of construction for the Trash Enclosure structure has begun. Backfilling around Academy Plaza is 80% done. Shoring for the recent pour for the Bark Bar courtyard roof is coming down before the end of the year. Work on the The Nest pump room has included a slab pour and shoring towers are being set. The Pavilion structural steel is ongoing with current work being on the back radius. The Nest restroom metal framing has been completed.

November 2021

East Park Street is closed off starting 11/8 – 12/10 for utility work.  The water line off Walker Street has been installed into the Park and taps off this line are being prepped.  The stormwater pond is being maintained by pumping down daily. Bark Bar elevated form and framing work is progressing and the the pour of the remainder of the roof is expected on 11/30. The Academy Plaza basement walls are in place. Exposed aggregate wall being formed. There are two pours on the aggregate wall. Backfilling against the Northside wall is complete and the 2^nd wall to be poured 12/2.  Structural steel for this building is coming in the next few weeks. Slab work for The Nest restroom is done and metal framing will be starting soon.

October 2021

The Bark Bar roof (first phase) was poured in the middle of October. The courtyard roof (phase 2) of the Bark Bar is scheduled to be poured in November as the forms for this pour arrived at the end of October. Academy Street Plaza basement walls are in the process of being poured for the basement and stairwell walls. Waterproofing of currently poured walls is ongoing and backfilling to follow. Form systems for the retaining walls at the Academy Plaza are ready to be installed with big crane activity on site. The Nest restroom MEP and slab work is underway with Gathering House plumbing to start at the end of October. Water service infrastructure work started on Academy Street the last week of the month. This should be completed within a week with asphalt repair to follow. Telecommunications loop infrastructure work is continuing. Walker Street curb and gutter work upcoming in the next few weeks. Target to get all roads around the park opened up by Thanksgiving.

September 2021

Fine grading and water line work on Park Street started in the middle of September. Foundations for the Academy Plaza underway.  Forms for the walls should start later this week. Fine grading on the site is continuing so that electrical and IT loops can start.  The Nest restroom pad is being established. Backfilling the Bark Bar walls and waterproofing and rigid foam application is done.  Moving to the Nest restroom and the pump room in The Nest are next. November 1 is target date for opening up Walker Street. Curb and gutter work still needs to be done.

August 2021

Walker Street closed in mid-August for gas line and stormwater work. This work is for both the Park  and the Walker project. This work should be finished early this fall. There are four concrete crews working at the same time on the project – working on the Bark Bar, The Pavilion, Academy Plaza building, and the mock-ups for the Park. All stormwater infrastructure installation will be fully completed by the first week of September. The underground electric and communications/data loop construction has begun.

July 2021

Site grading continues as all of the deep utilities are nearly completed. Sewer service to The Pavilion is complete.  The Bark Bar foundations are being poured. Pads for The Pavilion and the Academy Plaza basement are completed. Should see walls starting on the Bark Bar soon. 

July 30 - Building pads are completed for The Pavilion and the Academy Plaza building. Construction roads are being built to advance the next phase of construction. Foundations for Bark Bar are complete and the walls for this structure are currently being formed. Academy Plaza foundations are going to be started this week.

June 2021

Lots of things are happening – but most of it is underground right now.  The storm water system installation is in progress and grading on the site is continuing. The Fountain has been decommissioned and the pumphouse has been removed to allow for the Academy Plaza foundation construction to start.