WALTER talked with Dix Park’s advisory committee for their take on the project.

by Catherine Currin | photography by Joshua Steadman

This year, Dorothea Dix Park in downtown Raleigh released its master plan for a city council vote. In our research, we polled members of the Dix Park master plan advisory committee on how they think the space will affect our city. From special events to everyday recreation, Dix Park has something for everyone. You can read some highlights in our January/February magazine, and keep reading for more responses that we felt were worth sharing.

“[Dix Park] can be a destination for visitors, an economic engine, and a world class example of civic engagement can create places that have the ability to define a city. As co-chair for the MPAC I feel as though my main role moving forward will be as an ambassador and explaining to people how they can be involved in the parts of the plans they are excited about and how to help advise the city council that development is critical to the growth of Raleigh.” —Jai Kumar, Senior Director of Advancement, NCHA

“Well-intention folks see Dix Park from different perspectives. While various park groups were successful to preserve all 306 acres for a park, there will always remain folks that see the need to develop parts of the park for revenue generating. So the Dix Park journey will never be over.” —Bill Padgett, President Dix 306

“Given the complexity and scale of the project, it’s been valuable to have a full year to discuss the vision of the park with the planning team, the various committee members, and the public. I’ve learned a tremendous amount about the Park from some of the MPAC members who’ve been advocating for the park for over twenty years. There is no substitute for their wisdom about the site. A key benefit of the process this year is that we are actively building the capacity within our community to help the city plan, design, finance, and steward this park for the next 20 years.”
—Dan Parham, CEO, Neighborland

“I have always enjoyed the grounds as a runner and I saw this as an opportunity to give back to my home town. We have so many talented people in Raleigh and it has been exciting to see a big idea take a big step forward.” —Annie Lloyd, Project Manager (Life Sciences—Pharma)

Why Dix Park? “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to plan a signature park with major significance to downtown and the entire city. I’ve learned the extraordinary complexity of over 1 million square feet of existing space plus 308 acres, plus how much energy and interest there is in this park.” —Bill King, Sr. Vice President of Planning and Development, Downtown Raleigh