About a dozen Fuquay-Varina residents turned out last week at a meeting to solicit input on the future of Falcon Park, the town’s oldest park, located in the center of town.
A vast majority of residents stayed at home … with their computers.
When the town decided to put a survey concerning the park’s future on-line (on the town’s website and its newsletter site) residents responded by the hundreds.
Susan Weis, Fuquay-Varina’s public information director, who produces the town’s website and newsletter, was amazed. In the first 24-hours after posting the questionnaire online, 224 responses had come in.
By the next day the total had jumped above 300.
Participants are asked to respond to questions such as whether parking is adequate at the park, whether playground equipment needs to be replaced, whether the picnic shelter should be renovated and updated or torn down and replaced and more.
The town has set aside funds to upgrade Falcon Park which now includes a Little League baseball field and the Council gym as well as playground equipment.
The design firm of Withers and Ravenel has been employed to develop plans for a park facelift. Representatives of the company conducted the recent meeting seeking residents’ opinions. The designers will be provided with results of the on-line survey.
Closing date for submitting a survey is July 15. The questionnaire went to the 1700 residents who had signed up to receive town news such as upcoming events and announcements.
When town commissioners were discussing Falcon Park’s history and its future several months ago, some remembered playing in the park and sometimes picnicking there when they were children. And when they focused on the future of the picnic shelter, more than one appeared reluctant to see it torn down, although they agreed it needs renovation.
Falcon Park was deeded to the town in 1978 by the Fuquay-Varina Parks Commission. At one time a swimming pool and bath house were located on part of the
property. The pool had not been in use in recent years, however, and it was recently filled in; the bathhouse was torn down and the property where these facilities had been located cleared to become additional playground space.
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