Gill Street Park

In the 1960s, the Town of Zebulon took steps to convert a defunct neighborhood landfill into a new park, covering the landfill and building green space atop it. Historically, Gill Street Park been underrepresented in community planning. To determine the future of Gill Street Park, open spaces, and recreational opportunities in the area, the Gill Street community needs to be consulted every step of the way. We are pleased to track the process of Gill Street Park planning with you. Most important, we are looking forward to working with the community to create amazing places for the community to recreate and gather.

Track the progress of Gill Street Park with us:

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Gill St Park Site Specific Master Plan: Community Engagement

About the Plan

The Master Plan for Gill Street Park is a site-specific master plan based on recommendations from the 2021 Zebulon Parks and Recreation Master Plan, as well as the follow-up "How We Play" effort in 2023. The Master Plan is also influenced by recent developments at Gill Street Park that will be highlighted on the following page. The Town is working to develop an expansion of Gill Street Park with new community amenities, as well as improving the existing park to enhance recreation opportunities for the neighborhood. The tasks associated with this plan include developing concept alternatives, holding public workshops to obtain input, refining a final concept, and developing cost estimates and phasing that will help the Town move forward with design and construction.

Virtual Open House:

Visit our Virtual Open House to share your feedback on the Gill St Park Site Specific Master Plan. The survey will close on August 31st, 2025. We are providing the Virtual Open House in English and Spanish. Select the Virtual Open House that best applies to you from the options below to share your valuable input on this effort.

VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE - ENGLISH

VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE - SPANISH

In Person Kickoff:

Join us August 4th from 10 AM to 2 PM at the Back to School Bash at Gill St Park and Mt Zion Holiness Church. We will have information about the project and will be getting feedback from the community.

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Master Plan Adopted

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Play Zebulon, was adopted by the Board of Commissioners September 13, 2021. The plan identifies land acquisition as a priority and identify zones for future parks based on service gaps. Click here to view the Master Plan.

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How We Play: Master Plan Check In

How We Play was an evaluation and engagement initiative consistent with the Play Zebulon: Parks and Recreation Master Plan to study how our community uses our parks and play spaces so we can create the recreational experience our town deserves. This process took place in the Fall of 2023.

How We Play allowed us to check in with our growing community and confirmed that Play Zebulon remained consistent with community needs.

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FY 2024

FY 2024 Budget

In June 2023, the Board of Commissioners allocated $250,000 to renovate the playground at Gill St Park.

Gill Street Park Playground: Community Engagement

In the Fall of 2023, the Town of Zebulon held virtual and in person opportunities to engage with the community regarding playground improvements that would be moving forward. The community expressed interest in playgound elements that would offer:

climbing
spinning
sliding
features for teens and adults
modern and colorful styles
shade
park safety
accessibility & inclusion
natural elements
scenory friendly
confidence and skill building elements
a place to gather for all ages.

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Soil Testing

To prepare for playground renovations and other park improvements, staff hired a consultant to conduct soil testing in the Spring of 2024. Results of the tests indicated some soil contamination due to the lands former use as a landfill. The Town is currently working with the Department of Envionmental Quality to conduct additional testing and prepare a longterm mitigation plan. In the meantime, the Town closed sections of the park with elevated contamination while applying additional soil barriers in other areas. Click here for more information about Gill St Park Soil Testing.

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FY 2025 Budget

Adopted Budget

In June 2024, the Board of Commissioners allocated $500,000 to design and construct bathrooms at Gill Street Park.

Capital Project Fund

In April 2025, the Board of Commissioners created a Capital Project Fund fro Gill Street Park and transferred allocated funds for the playground and bathrooms to the Fund. This recognizes the project will take more than one fiscal year to complete. Staff recommending identifying alternative opportunities to best meet the community recreation needs in the area.

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