How We See It: Timing May Not Be Right For Purchase of Gulley Park Expansion

It's hard to imagine many public facilities in the region getting more use than Fayetteville's wonderful Gulley Park. From the concerts to the family outings to the trails to the simple, open green spaces, few parks are as inviting or as versatile.

So it's no wonder that a group of civic-minded citizens would like to see Gulley Park expand with the purchase of some adjacent acreage that's recently come on the market.

What’s the Point: Adding to the civic gem that is Gulley Park would be a great thing. But the money and the timing might not be there to do it now.

The Dunn family has put about 11 acres next to Gulley Park up for sale. The land contains two houses and a shop building, as well as some verdant former pasture land much like what makes up the existing Gulley Park. In fact, what is now the park and the acreage were once part of the same farm.

Fayetteville resident Wade Colwell would like to see the city purchase the Dunn property as an extension of the existing park. He's helped organize a group that's raising money to perhaps defray the cost to the city, which would likely be in the range of $1 million.

If the city doesn't buy the property, it could conceivably be sold and developed into more houses. If that's the case, the opportunity to expand Gulley Park might be lost.

On the other hand, the city of Fayetteville has a full plate right now with park development. The city recently partnered with the Walton Family Foundation and the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association to buy 328 acres on Mount Kessler for park land. All of that is adjacent to 200 acres that will be home to a city-run regional park full of baseball, softball and soccer fields. And then there's the plan to spend $700,000 out of the city's Park Development Fund for some improvements at the existing Gulley Park over the next year.

It's enough to make someone wonder where the money for 11 more acres will come from. One of those wondering is Mayor Lioneld Jordan.

While Jordan said he "absolutely" would like the city to have the land next to Gulley Park, he's wary about spending so much money out of reserves, especially with so many other parks projects on the horizon.

He also made it clear that supporters of the park purchase will need to step up with contributions to help make it happen.

Colwell's group is certainly making the effort, but there's a long way to go.

Meanwhile, another buyer may appear, and no one could blame the Dunns if they took another offer before the city is ready to act. If that happens, folks in Fayetteville will just have to make do with Gulley Park the way it is, which is, by the way, is pretty great already.

Commentary on 07/24/2014

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