WithersRavenel provided civil engineering, surveying, and stormwater management design for Cary Downtown Park, a 14-acre urban park that positions Cary as a leader in urban vitalization in central North Carolina.
This showcase park features a 1-acre water feature that serves as both a centerpiece amenity and a valuable flood protection and water quality improvement system.
Stakeholder involvement was critical in determining the performance goals for the project, and the project’s location at the headwaters of Walnut Creek and on the edge of downtown Cary expands the civic and environmental improvement opportunities.
The stormwater design leans on an innovative treatment and permitting strategy using green infrastructure. Specifically, the park employs a re-circulation pump and filtration system to continuously feed associated water features in the park.
The net results are a 40% decrease in downstream flow rates after large storm events and enhanced nitrogen and phosphorous removal rates from the urban runoff entering the park. The system protects both Walnut Creek and downstream properties.
We also provided civil engineering oversight in the design, which included grading, permitting, and utilities coordination between multiple stakeholders and adjacent private development.
WithersRavenel completed Cary Downtown Park in close coordination with nationally recognized architecture firm OJB Landscape Architecture and the Town of Cary. The park opened to the public in November 2023.
Video showing Downtown Cary Park
