Durham Central Park schedules opening celebration for new playground

Durham Central Park leaders are getting ready to celebrate the opening of Mt. Merrill, a new playground at the downtown Durham destination.

Posted 5:21 p.m. Nov 30, 2014 — Updated 5:21 p.m. Nov 30, 2014

Durham Central Park leaders are getting ready to celebrate the opening of Mt. Merrill, a new playground at the popular downtown Durham park.

A grand opening celebration and dedication is set for 10 a.m. to noon, Dec. 6, at the park at 501 Foster St. The new playground will include slides, boulder outcroppings and protective surfacing. The play area is named after Merrill Davis, whose family owns the neighborhood nursery and garden store, Stone Brothers & Byrd. Davis was one of the park's biggest supporters. He died in a car accident in 2012.

I wrote about the plans for the park earlier this year when the nonprofit successfully ran an online fundraising campaign to raise $25,000 toward the $200,000 goal.

The park hosts the city's farmers' market, food truck rodeos and other community events.

The grand opening on Dec. 6 will include a children's African drum circle, interactive storytime, a make-and-take craft and balloon twisting. More than 550 individuals and businesses donated to Durham Central Park Inc. to build the playground.

Suggest A Correction