The City of Whiteville has officially broken ground on its long-awaited downtown park, named Madison Street Park, marking a major milestone in the community’s downtown revitalization efforts.
As The News Reporter shared, the name was selected after more than 1,000 community votes, reflecting both the park’s location in the 900 block of Madison Street and its connection to the heart of the city.
City officials, residents, and project partners gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking. City Manager Darren Currie noted that Apex Construction is expected to complete Phase One by spring, with future phases to include a splash pad, playground, picnic shelter, and restroom facilities.
WithersRavenel’s Role in Bringing the Vision to Life
WithersRavenel’s Design+Planning team helped shape the foundation for this new park and the greater downtown experience through a community-driven master plan for South Madison Street. The plan was built on a collaborative process that engaged residents, business owners, city staff, and other stakeholders through both in-person and virtual sessions.
The resulting master plan envisions a more connected, vibrant downtown with widened sidewalks, outdoor dining opportunities, improved landscaping, and traffic-calming measures such as new roundabouts. These enhancements create a safer and more welcoming pedestrian environment while also building stormwater resiliency and providing new green spaces, including the civic space that will become Madison Street Park.
