WILMINGTON — A group of local residents is planting the seeds to regrow a park’s purpose.
Around 40 people attended the first meeting of the Friends of Galvin Park on Saturday. Attendees along with Wilmington Interim Police Chief Ron Cravens and some local officials discussed how to rejuvenate the park, located next to the Wilmington Public Library.
Among the topics addressed were keeping the park tidy, holding events to bring park users together — picnics, movie nights, etc. — and even how to prevent the kids’ balls from ending up in a creek bed adjacent to the basketball courts.
The group of Wilmington residents was started in the hopes of “maintaining and improving the safety and facilities at Galvin Park,” according to their Facebook group description. They hope to promote family-friendly activities, improve security, and increase citizen involvement through neighborhood watch and fundraising efforts.
Julie Bolton, who helped start the group, previously told the News Journal she hopes to fill the park with families and “re-strike a balance of good and purposeful use for the park.”
Jermaine Isaac, Wilmington Parks & Recreation Director, spoke highly of the group.
“Definitely, from my perspective, it’s great, and fantastic for the park and the city,” said Isaac. “The more we can get citizens to be engaged in our parks, the more they can realize they can have an impact.”
Isaac wasn’t present at Saturday’s meeting because he wanted it to be a meeting between the members, and not have it turn into a park board meeting.
Bolton and Dessie Rogers, Clinton County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and neighborhood resident, planned to attend Monday’s Park Board meeting to talk about the Saturday meeting and what the next steps are for them.
“I think they can be a great model in coming up with long-term solutions for long-term issues,” said Isaac.
