Get Tickets to the Greenprint Gala October 8th, a Sneak Peek at our Progress!
Durham Central Park’s Greenprint is taking shape, and we’re celebrating with shovels in the ground, kudzu on the way out, and a whole lot more room to gather.
On July 29, Durham Central Park celebrated a major milestone for the Greenprint: the groundbreaking of two transformational projects, the Forest Seating and Creekside Gateway.
Surrounded by community members, city leaders, neighbors, supporters, and friends of the park, we gathered to celebrate not only what we are building, but the community vision and generosity that made these projects possible.
It was a beautiful day to look ahead!
More Places to Gather. More Ways to Enter. More Park for Everyone!
The Forest Seating project will create hundreds of additional square feet of seating within the park’s wooded landscape, creating new places to sit, gather, watch performances, enjoy lunch, meet a friend, or simply slow down beneath the trees.
The Seating is designed to work with the natural character of the park rather than against it, creating an inviting space where nature and community can coexist.
And at the park’s northern edge, the Creekside Gateway will create a more welcoming and accessible entrance to Durham Central Park. For years, this area has been challenged by overgrown vegetation and limited access. Now, we’re opening it up.
These projects are about making Durham Central Park a more enjoyable, vibrant public space that welcomes everyone.
A Community Vision, Celebrated Together
The groundbreaking brought together many of the people who have helped make this vision possible.
We were honored to hear from Nicole Thompson of Downtown Durham Inc., whose remarks reflected on the importance of vibrant public spaces to a thriving downtown and a connected community.
Our Executive Director, Erin Kauffman, shared the vision behind the Greenprint, the power of partnership with Durham Parks and Recreation and the City of Durham, and the astounding past, present, and future of the Park.
And David Lent Bews, longtime board member and champion of the Greenprint, spoke to the work, expertise, and community investment that have brought these projects to fruition.
With city partners, community leaders, donors, board members, neighbors, and park patrons gathered together, the ceremonial groundbreaking was a powerful reminder that public spaces don’t happen by accident. They happen because people believe they are worth investing in.
Built by Believers
Every Greenprint project begins with a vision—but it becomes real because people choose to believe in that vision.
We are deeply grateful to the families who were among the first to invest in these projects:
Thank you to the Rothchild, Donahue, Tilley, Lent-Bews, Scherich, Evans, and Harrell families for your generosity, your early support, and your belief in what Durham Central Park can become.
Thank you, Grayson Baur of Catalpa Land Design, for your insightful designs, thoughtful approach, and endless patience as this vision has taken shape.
Thank you, Alex Culpepper of Sunrock, for your excitement about the project and your generous donation of materials that will help bring it to life.
Thank you to our board member, David Lent Bews, for your expertise, organization, and extraordinary generosity of time.
And thank you to you—our park patrons—for continuing to show up, gather here, support the park, and believe in its future.
This Is Just the Beginning
The Forest Seating and Creekside Gateway are the first steps in a much larger vision.
The Greenprint is Durham Central Park’s 10-year plan for the future of the park, shaped by the ways our community uses this space today and the possibilities we see for tomorrow. There is still much more to come!
We are continuing to raise funds for the Greenprint Now and Future Projects, including additional improvements that will make Durham Central Park more accessible, welcoming, resilient, and connected.
Want to help build the future of Durham Central Park?
Visit durhamcentralpark.org/greenprint to learn more, explore the Greenprint projects, and join us in making this vision a reality.
Relive the Groundbreaking
We’re grateful to everyone who came out to celebrate this moment with us, and to Paul Crocco for capturing the day so beautifully.
Take a look through the photo slideshow below and relive the celebration, from the gathering in the park to the ceremonial groundbreaking and the first shovels in the ground.
The future of Durham Central Park is taking shape, and we are just getting started!
