Pullen Park ribbon-cutting
Here are my written remarks from the Pullen Park dedication Saturday. I frequently compose my speeches on the fly but Pullen Park is important so I spent more time on this one.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been waiting for this day for 124 years!
Today we celebrate the grand opening of a park that actually opened 124 years ago. Hard to believe, isn’t it? I did a little research to get a better idea of what Pullen Park’s first grand opening must have been like.
On that day in March 22nd, 1887 when Mr. Stanhope Pullen donated the land that created Pullen Park, N.C. State University was a mere fifteen days old. Fayetteville Street – where this morning’s Christmas Parade took place – had only been paved for a decade. Raleigh sprawled to almost two square miles and had a booming population of 13,000; qualifying it as the fifth largest city in our state.
It was in this environment that Mr. Pullen donated this land to the City of Raleigh to create the park that now bears his name. With his donation, Pullen Park became North Carolina’s very first public park and since that time this park has entertained generations. In a city that treasures its parks, no park is more beloved than Pullen Park. It is the park that started it all.As the oldest public park in the state, Pullen Park has not only seen a lot of history, it has also created a lot of history for those who’ve visited it. Many of Raleigh’s citizens and visitors have spent countless summer days here exploring the lake, playing on the playground, celebrating birthdays, or just picnicking among its beautiful, tree-lined grounds. Within this park, many couples were engaged, many friendships made, many playground challenges conquered, many knees skinned, many ice cream cones devoured, many smiles shared, and much, much camaraderie enjoyed among park visitors. From the day it opened through today, 124 years later, Pullen Park has provided something for everyone.
So, how does one possibly improve on such a historic park, the crown jewel of Raleigh’s parks system? The answer, of course, is very, very carefully! What you see here today is the same Pullen Park we all know and love, only better. Take a look at that grand Pullen Park sign arching over the park’s new entryway. When you pass under that sign there’s no doubt that you’ve entered a special place. The CP Huntington train has never looked better and now it has a fine train station with ADA accessibility so that everyone may enjoy it. Then there’s Pullen Place, the Park’s new concession stand which offers an amazingly varied menu with an emphasis on locally-grown foods. Finally, there’s the centerpiece of the park, the circa-1900 Dentzel carousel, now housed in a gorgeous, climate-controlled building that provides for year-round operation. And where else but Raleigh can you find an early 1900s Merry-Go-Round updated with the latest in LED lighting!
I’d like to thank everyone who had a hand in renewing this wonderful park, including the senior Park planner, Mr. David Shouse, and the rest of the Parks and Recreation staff; the members of both the Pullen Park Master Plan Committee and Carousel Task Force; the fine people of Resolute Building Company of Chapel Hill; Light and Light, and the many, many others who played a part in giving this park new life. As you can see, their efforts have given us a park to make us all proud.
On behalf of Raleigh’s Parks board, I am honored to be here celebrating the beginning of the next 124 years of Pullen Park!