park

Signal Boost: community open house concerning flood mitigation projects in East Wilson.

I can’t go because I’m speaking to Wilson County Genealogical Society that night, but you have an opportunity to weigh in on flood mitigation and park improvements in the works for East Wilson’s Freeman Park and Carolina Street Park.

Per an article published in the Wilson Times online on 29 September 2024:

“The city of Wilson has been awarded $875,331 from the Golden Leaf Foundation as part of Golden Leaf’s $25 million Flood Mitigation Program. The grant will be used to design and construct stormwater flood control measures at two key locations — Carolina Street Park and Freeman Park.

“These projects will manage stormwater flow and prevent frequent flooding by gradually discharging runoff during storms.

“The state of North Carolina appropriated the Golden Leaf Foundation $25 million for the Flood Mitigation Program. The program awards up to $2 million per project. Funds may only be awarded to units of local government.

“‘The Golden Leaf Foundation was entrusted by the N.C. General Assembly to implement a program for local governments seeking to mitigate flooding in their community,’ said Golden Leaf President and CEO Scott T. Hamilton. ‘We are pleased to support the city of Wilson with construction of an innovative solution to increase floodwater storage in Wilson, which will help to reduce incidents of flooding around homes, businesses and roadways.’

“The project will encompass various phases, including engineering and design, permitting, bidding and procurement, construction and surveying. It will also include community forums and park restoration efforts, culminating in the enhancement of both parks after flood mitigation construction is completed between September and December 2025.

“Installing flood control measures at Carolina Street Park, bounded by Carolina Street East and East Street East, and Freeman Park, bounded by Freeman Street Southeast and Finch Street Southeast, is expected to significantly reduce flooding in adjacent properties within Wilson and along the Sandy Creek downstream, city officials said. The project aims to minimize localized flooding and road closures, improving safety and accessibility for residents and businesses.

“The city’s stormwater division is collaborating with N.C. State University on the project’s design and community engagement components. Wilson is pursuing additional grants to further support community involvement.

“‘This project is part of our broader stormwater management plan, which has focused on identifying and addressing flood-prone areas over the past decade. The fact that this project also enhances community parks makes it particularly exciting and efficient,’ said Noah Parsons, assistant public works director of stormwater and engineering.

“The Golden Leaf Foundation, established in 1999, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing economic opportunities in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities. In the past 25 years, the foundation says it’s helped create 68,000 jobs, generating more than $780 million in new payrolls and training more than 98,000 workers for higher-paying jobs.”

Public meeting on future Pender Street Park and Center.

This public notice appeared on the City of Wilson’s website, http://www.wilsonnc.org, on 10 March 2024. Pender Street Park lies within historic East Wilson and was once the site of housing for workers employed in nearby tobacco factories and cotton oil mills. The City recently announced plans to develop affordable housing near the park.

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Please join us for a public meeting to discuss future plans for Pender Street Park and Center. City staff and the project team will present options for the new park and center and solicit feedback from the public on potential designs. 

WHEN: Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 6 p.m.

WHERE: 300 Pender Street, Wilson, NC 27893

Last year the city announced plans for Pender Crossing, a new affordable housing project near the site of Pender Street Park. The multifamily property will include 48 apartments with a mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units and will have onsite parking, a community building, and other amenities. The apartments will be priced to be affordable by people who work in the surrounding area. 

The city will build a new park and center in the area. This public meeting will provide additional details on the park relocation and site layout, as well as review the amenities proposed for the new center. These amenities include a basketball court, playground, open space, a walking path, shelter, and meeting space. During the meeting, the team will share potential park and center designs and provide ways for the public to provide input. 

This is a great opportunity to have your voice heard in the planning phase of this exciting new development!

Hat tip to R. Briggs Sherwood for alerting B.W.A. to this notice.  

The park should be named in his honor.

In 1980, the Mary McLeod Bethune Women’s Civic Club petitioned Wilson Parks and Recreation Director Burt Gillette to name a new city park for Oliver Nestus Freeman. Their letter contains interesting details of Freeman’s life, including more about his amusement park and the focus of his real estate development.

The petition was successful.

The origins of the linear park.

Wilson Daily Times, 14 January 1983.

In January 1983, the City’s Community Development announced the installation of a 1100 foot long linear park to replace a noisome open drainage ditch running between Vance and Viola Streets. The park was to include a play area, picnic tables, grills, fruit trees, and a paved path. “The city acquired most of the property for the park from the heirs of S.H. Vick, a former community leader who once owned much of east Wilson.”

In this 1940 aerial view of the area, the drainage ditch is visible as a darker gray angling across the interior of the block between Vance and Viola Streets, then angling sharply near Vick Street to join its source, the branch of Toisnot Swamp that flows behind Reid Street Community Center and the former Sam Vick Elementary School, now the offices of OIC. (Another fork of the branch flowed parallel to Elba Street toward Viola.)

And here is the Linear Park now.

Aerial photo from Wilson_CSP_6B_12, U.S.D.A. Photograph Collection, State Archives of North Carolina; current photo courtesy of Google Maps.