Gipson Play Plaza hosts sneak peek ahead of grand opening

WRAL took a sneak peek at a new one-of-a-kind landmark coming to Dix Park in Raleigh. City park employees and their families were able to take an early look at Gipson Play Plaza, a new recreation area that is days away from officially opening.
Posted 5/24/2025, 10:38:44 PM Updated 5/25/2025, 12:58:04 AM

SKIES AND KERRY DOWNTOWN CARE.

>> WELCOME BACK. TAKE A LOOK AT

THIS IS BEING CALLED A ONE OF A

KIND LANDMARK FOR DICK'S PARK

IN RALEIGH TODAY. CITY PARK

EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES

GOT A SNEAK PEEK OF THE GIFTS

IN PLAY PLAZA. THE NEARLY 20

ACRE RECREATION AREA HAS BEEN

UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR MORE

THAN 2 YEARS. AND IT'S NOW JUST

DAYS AWAY FROM THE OFFICIAL

OPENING WRAL'S FLYNN. SNYDER

HAS A TOOL OR

ACROSS THE SLIDE VALLEY.

AND IN THE FOUNTAINS RALEIGH'S

TINIEST RESIDENTS GETTING THEIR

FIRST CHANCE TO SEE THE MASSIVE

NEARLY 70 MILLION DOLLAR GIBSON

PLAYED PLAZA AT THE ENTRANCE TO

SPARK.

>> 9 YEAR-OLD SUSANNA SHUFFLE

WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO TAKE

PART. I LIKE IT. THE LIONS ARE

THE MOST FUN.

THERE'S A SWING TERRACE.

SENSORY MAY'S MARKET AND PICNIC

AREA FOR FAMILIES AT THE PEAK

OF THIS PARK IS AN INTERACTIVE

SYSTEM OF PULLEYS AND LEVERS

THAT BOTH KIDS AND ADULTS CAN

ENJOY TO LEARN ABOUT THE

HISTORIC YATES MILL COUNTY.

A 10 MILLION DOLLAR DONATION

FROM THE PLAZA'S NAMESAKE TOM

GIBSON HELPED PAY FOR THE PLAY

AREA. IT'S A LEARNING

EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS A PLAYFUL

EXPERIENCE AND THAT'S SOMETHING

THAT'S IMPORTANT WE DO TO OUR

CHILDREN. MONEY ALSO CAME FROM

A MIX OF PRIVATE DONATIONS

SPEARHEADED FROM THE DIX PARK

CONSERVANCY AND THE 2022

RALEIGH PARKS POND. THERE IS NO

OTHER PARK LIKE IT. AND THE

SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES,

RALEIGH PARKS, DIRECTOR STEVEN

BENTLEY SAYS THE PLAZA MARKS

A MILESTONE FOR DICK'S PARK

WITH PLANS TO TRANSFORM THE

300 ACRE PARK INTO ONE OF THE

COUNTRY'S PREMIER PUBLIC AND

BUSINESSES MOVED TO RALEIGH.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR GREAT

SCHOOLS, HOUSING AND QUALITY OF

LIFE. SO GREAT PARKS ARE

ESSENTIAL TO THAT COMPONENT.

IN OUR 10 YEAR HISTORY.

>> WE ARE NOW AT A REALLY GREAT

CROSSROADS FOR THE PARK.

>> WITH EXCITEMENT FROM

CHILDREN ALSO COMES EXCITEMENT

FROM OFFICIALS THAT THE PLAY

PLAZA WILL BOOST VISITOR

NUMBERS AND SPUR NEARBY

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

WHEN SNYDER, WRAL NEWS,

RALEIGH, DON'T YOU WANT TO GO

GIBBS, THE FAMILY. THEY'RE

MAKING SUCH AN IMPACT. NOW THE

PLAZA, THE PLAY PLAZA WILL HOST

A SERIES.

>> PUBLIC EVENTS INCLUDING A

FESTIVE RIBBON CUTTING ON JUNE

© WRAL