A milestone moment for Cary’s Urban Forestry program occurred this quarter with the adoption of the Urban Forest Master Plan. More than two years in the making, the 10-year strategy sets the framework for the future of Cary’s trees and forests, identifying priorities and providing guidance on stewarding and growing Cary’s tree canopy. This strategy aims to improve the quality of trees and forests within Cary while promoting partnerships and collaborations that will engage citizens. My Tree, Our Tree this spring helped add 1,000 trees to Cary’s urban canopy, bringing the total trees distributed through the program to over 5,900 trees.

On April 13, Cary and USA Baseball officially opened a training facility at USA Baseball National Training Complex. The facility includes about 22,000 square feet of covered, full-sized infield that can be converted into eight pitching/batting lanes, 14,000 square feet of office and warehouse space, and 5,000 square feet to include Cary staff offices, a classroom, and other facility support spaces. 

Following Cary’s Green Initiatives, the project included 301 solar roof panels to reduce energy consumption by 60%, low-flow plumbing features and landscaping to reduce water consumption by 35%, and utilities to make 54 parking spaces ready for electric vehicle charging stations. Looking ahead, this facility promises to be instrumental in shaping the future of baseball and softball, serving as a hub for player and coach development, personalized instruction, and clinics, as well as exploring opportunities beyond baseball and softball. 

With the help of inter-local and capital project funding, Cary built the 40,000 square foot USA Baseball National Training Complex at Thomas Brooks Park in 2007 to serve as the premier training venue in the United States for all youth baseball and softball skill levels. The facility also hosts elite amateur teams for spring training, tournaments, and professional exhibitions. Many of the participating teams are transitioning from grass to artificial turf to reduce maintenance costs, create schedule flexibility, and increase annual usage. This quarter, the conversion of fields 3 and 4 to artificial turf wrapped up. Work included the replacement of the underground drainage system, replacement of the bullpens and outfield fencing, and soil stabilization to reduce future maintenance costs.

Since opening in March and April, fields 3 and 4 have hosted the National High School Invitational, the end of the William Peace University baseball schedule, Cary youth leagues, NCAA practices for the Division II National Championship, and about 40 USA Baseball games. The two fields will increase baseball usage annually as well as provide other sporting possibilities, since existing grass fields can’t sustain year-round play.

Crews working on behalf of Cary recently completed phase 2 work for Mills Park to include new play features and restrooms. Because of the proximity of the middle school, Cary engaged the Cary Teen Council in the development of the design of the playground amenities. Design centered on creating spaces relevant to teens as well as younger children. The playground features a modern design using the landforms to spark interest and define spaces. 

In early April, the misting sculpture at Carpenter Fire Station Neighborhood Park was officially turned on for the season, to the delight of many of the neighborhood children and families. Oh, Deer! is freestanding artwork that is a geometric interpretation of the negative space of a deer spine found 
on-site when the artist and project team walked the parkland during the master plan stage in 2018. The sculpture is a series of seven hexagonal arches that parkgoers can walk through. The arches’ brightly colored palette is derived from local deer-resistant flowers: marigolds, phlox, petunias, snapdragons, zinnias, and begonias. The sculpture is made of powder-coated steel, and each arch has a water-misting element that is activated by pressing a button on each arch.

The artwork reflects the community’s wish to have nature featured in a colorful, modern way in the new park. Over the years, there was input from multiple community engagement sessions with local groups ranging from Green Hope High School students and Cameron Pond neighborhood residents to public open calls. In addition to the request for an overall modern, “fresh” vibe, there was repeated interest in incorporating a water feature in the artwork. Additionally, GHHS students requested that the artwork be “Instagrammable,” or visually eye-catching for photographing and posting on social media.

June’s six-day extravaganza of TST was nothing short of a triumph. The air buzzed with excitement as 42,436 soccer fans from around the world were immersed in a whirlwind of activities, from team activation areas to up-close player interactions. Behind the scenes, the sports turf team ensured the playing surfaces were first class and that setup and teardown ran smoothly before quickly transitioning to replacing the stadium field turf before the North Carolina Courage match on June 15.

This quarter, Cary, the University of Mount Olive, USA Baseball, and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance hosted the NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship (World Series) for the 14th time in the past 16 years, and each year gets better. On June 8, in front of a crowd of 1,500 fans, Tampa University won the National Championship over defending champion Angelo State University. This eight-day event is a long week for staff. About 40 employees devoted hundreds of hours and a lot of sweat to make this one of the great feathers in Cary’s cap. Fun facts: 20 home runs were hit over the weekend, and this makes the University of Tampa’s ninth national championship in baseball. 

Over Memorial Day weekend, WakeMed Soccer Park, in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance, hosted the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship. Staff from several departments teamed up to ensure this championship was a success. Boston College won the 2024 National Championship in front of 9,192 fans.

On April 27, over 15,000 attendees made their way to Bond Park for the 31st Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival. This year’s festivities showcased the talents of 170 North Carolina-based artists, offerings from 17 Triangle-based food vendors, and all-day entertainment on three stages. Cary worked with food vendors to embrace an expanded low-waste initiative, supplying compostable service ware and deploying 20 new compost bins in addition to three staffed waste stations to ensure the success of the festival’s green goals. Cary’s Bike Valet, shuttles, and GoCary buses simplified the journey toward a greener footprint for attendees and vendors. The greenways booth emphasized user safety and etiquette. In an exciting addition to the Spring Daze lineup, Community Cove made its debut, uniting 15 local nonprofits to engage festivalgoers with interactive activities. Hundreds of Cary staff and community volunteers made Spring Daze not just an event but a celebration of community, creativity, and sustainability.

On Memorial Day, hundreds of Cary residents gathered at Veterans Freedom Park to remember and honor the U.S. military personnel who have served or are still serving. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht read the proclamation, joined by Councilmembers Michelle Craig and Carissa Kohn-Johnson. Councilmember Jack Smith emceed the event, and Congressman Wiley Nickel delivered remarks. The event included a formal dedication of a Gold Star Families Memorial at the park coordinated by the Cary Garden Club, with powerful tributes by Gold Star mothers.

On May 11, the 21st annual Ritmo Latino Festival brought Latin beats and delicious eats to downtown Cary as over 5,000 attendees enjoyed the beautiful weather and vibrant festival atmosphere. Presented by Diamante Arts and Cultural Center in partnership with the Cary, the Ritmo Latino Festival celebrates Latino/Hispanic cultures and offers music, dancing, food, and experiences to share these cultures with the Cary community.

Cary celebrated Pride Month in June with a host of programs and activities. Everyone could partake in the colors of Pride with the lighting of the Cary Arts Center façade and Downtown Cary Park. The Cary Theater highlighted the themes of acceptance and love with its Allies and Icons film series. Families had several opportunities to celebrate together, including an LGBTQ Night Market and Family Pride Picnic in Downtown Cary Park, as well as a Family Pride Ride hosted by Trek Cary and a special Pride Night at a North Carolina Courage game.

On June 18, Councilmembers Lori Bush and Michelle Craig attended a special Pride Month event at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center. The program celebrated the legacy of longtime Cary resident Sally Zumbach, a leader in advocating for the LGBTQ+ community. Zumbach was president of the Raleigh-Durham/Triangle Chapter of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) in the 1980s and was instrumental in forming the Cary chapter. Mark Zumbach and Debra Zumbach Grannan, her children, shared information about her life and impact on Cary’s LGBTQ+ community. Following the discussion, Bush presented a commemorative plaque to the Zumbach family to recognize Sally’s service to the community. The program was a joint effort of the Historic Preservation Commission; the Friends of Page-Walker; and the Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity Task Force.

Over 3,000 attended the Children’s Day Festival on April 20 at Downtown Cary Park. The joyous community event showcased the talents of area youth from diverse cultures — a truly international celebration by kids for kids. Councilmembers Carissa Kohn-Johnson, Sarika Bansal, and Michelle Craig, as well as N.C. Sen. Gale Adcock, attended the event, presented by the American Turkish Association of North Carolina and in partnership with Cary Sister Cities and The Cary Theater. American Turkish Association presenter Buket Aydemir and Bansal read the proclamation. 

On May 18, Cary hosted the 11th annual Wheels on Academy car show at its new location on North Academy Street. Despite the dreary weather forecast, around 2,500 spectators came out to enjoy the event, which included over 50 vehicles with model years ranging from 1931 to 2024. A new addition this year was the Explore-an-EV area, where staff invited the community to learn about electric vehicles. Spectators explored eight electric vehicles from Cary’s award-winning green fleet and discovered the environmental benefits of EVs.