Downtown Cary Park Master Plan

With great excitement and anticipation the Cary Town Council unanimously adopted the Downtown Cary Park Master Plan on March 14, 2019. The plan, developed by the Office of James Burnett Landscape Architecture (OJB), is the result of many months of effort and considerable public input. You can read the Downtown Cary Park Master Plan Report in its entirety here.  

The plan also calls for two food and beverage facilities within Downtown Cary Park, four interactive water features, and four restrooms. 

A key feature of Downtown Cary Park is the amount of proposed programming, including art exhibitions, arts and crafts classes, performances and concerts, cardio and fitness classes, book clubs, storytime programs and movies. The goal is to generate activity in the Park that will energize downtown Cary.

The plan calls for design to begin in May of 2019 and be completed in 2020. Construction of the Park is expected to begin in 2021 with completion in 2023.

Project Update: Fall 2020

We're excited to share the latest set of renderings for this project - anticipated to break ground in 2021 and slated for completion in summer 2023. Thoughtfully designed for nature-inspired play, the Downtown Park will offer something for everyone to enjoy. The seven-acre, state-of-the-art, multi-use outdoor space is the first of its kind in central N.C. 

Project Update: Summer 2020

Downtown Park Project Nears End of Design Phase: The final design of the Cary Downtown Park is nearly done and staff is working on developing construction documents. A General Manager was hired in the late winter to manage the park and participate in the final design development.

The 2019 Shaping Cary's Tomorrow Bonds passed last fall and we anticipate bid award in winter of 2021, construction starting in summer of 2021, and dedication in the fall of 2023.

Project Update: Fall 2019

We have completed five months of schematic design. We are in the process of hiring a general manager position to manage Downtown Cary Park. Staff toured five urban parks in three different cities to gain a better understanding of the issues with managing downtown parks.

Should the 2019 Shaping Cary's Tomorrow Bonds pass, we anticipate bid award in winter of 2021, construction starting in summer of 2021, and dedication in the fall of 2023.

Recap of July 2018 Community Workshop  

The public enjoyed an interactive evening sharing their vision during the kick off of Phase II citizen input workshop. With the guidance and feedback taken from the workshop, we’ll make this an extraordinary destination — the soul of Cary and a reflection of you.

The Phase II survey is closed, and we thank the Cary community for providing more than 1,200 responses during the 6-week survey period.

If you couldn't join us for our November 27 presentation, watch it in full below. 

Project Update: Summer 2018

The Town of Cary has hired the Office of James Burnett (OJB Landscape Architecture), an award-winning landscape architecture firm with national urban parks and development experience. Their past project experience includes Klyde Warren Park, Dallas TX, Levy Park in Houston TX, and LeBauer Park, Greensboro, NC. The Town is currently working with the OJB team on the project schedule. Their consultant team includes:

• Machado Silvetti: Architecture
• Biederman Redevelopment Ventures: Urban Planning, Program and Operational Management; past work includes Bryant Park in New York, NY
• Cumming: Local project and cost management for cost estimation.
• Fountain Source: Water Feature Consultant
• WithersRavenel: Local Civil Consultant
• Shore Art Advisory: Art curation for opportunities for art in the park.