E. Carroll Joyner Park is the Town's newest and largest park. Scheduled for several phases of development, the 117-acre park is located at 701 Harris Road, approximately 1 mile off of Capital Boulevard.
The Wake Forest Parks & Recreation department received $750,000 in grants for the Phase I development, in addition to $3.5 million in bond proceeds. Phase I of E. Carroll Joyner Park was completed in late July, and the park was opened to the public in August 2009.
Among the Phase I attractions at E. Carroll Joyner Park are the restored farm buildings and pecan grove, a restored log cabin, a 1,000-lawn-seat amphitheatre, a performance area, and garden. Bordered by a 2,000 linear foot stone ribbon wall, the park offers approximately three miles of paved walking trails - perfect for walking, bicycling, and in-line skating.
The 1,000-seat amphitheatre promises to be an excellent venue for the popular Six Sundays in Spring, which gets underway April 25, 2010. Although the Wake Forest College Birthplace served as a fitting setting for the concert series for many years, the current construction taking place on the Birthplace grounds - along with the ever-growing crowds - make the move to E. Carroll Joyner Park especially timely.
The performance garden, which is a much smaller, more intimate space that can accommodate approximately 150 people, is expected to serve as pre-concert event space for poetry readings, music workshops, smaller symphony groups, and storytelling.
The rich history and character of E. Carroll Joyner Park make it an ideal location for a variety of community festivals and events. The Town of Wake Forest and the Wake Forest Cultural Arts Association will be working together in the future to provide even more exciting and diverse cultural opportunities for the citizens of Wake Forest.