City officials and visitors help cut the ribbon during a ceremony held Thursday to celebrate the reopening of the Gulley Park playground in Fayetteville. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)City officials on Thursday celebrated the grand reopening of the newly improved Gulley Park playground with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The event took place at the playground’s newly constructed area near the Township Street entrance. The ceremony featured remarks by Mayor Lioneld Jordan along with Ted Jack, the city’s park planning superintendent, and Alison Jumper, the city’s director of parks, natural resources and cultural affairs.
The new playground area includes several features, like towers with slides, see-saws, swings, spinners, an interactive water fountain and a new pavilion. The playground also includes dedicated areas for ping pong and chess.
Local artist Eugene Sargent contributed works that pay homage to the site’s history as farmland and its significance on the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach route.
The improvements are part of the Gulley Park Master Plan, which was developed with input from Fayetteville residents through several public meetings and surveys. Since the master plan’s update in 2018, other enhancements to the park include the expansion of existing trails, construction of the Niokaska Trail, expansion of the Township Street parking lot, planting of a pecan orchard, and renovations to the restrooms.
The construction of the playground area, which cost $1.4 million, was funded by a $220,000 grant from the state’s Outdoor Recreation program, as well as collections from the city’s hotel, motel, and restaurant tax and parkland dedication fees.
Alison Jumper, the city’s director of parks, natural resources and cultural affairs, speaks Thursday during the Gulley Park playground reopening ceremony. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan speaks Thursday during the Gulley Park playground reopening ceremony. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
Ted Jack, the city’s park planning superintendent, speaks Thursday during the Gulley Park playground reopening ceremony. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
Local artist Eugene Sargent (center), watches Thursday during the Gulley Park playground reopening ceremony. Sargent contributed works to the playground that pay homage to the site’s history as farmland and its significance on the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach route. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
City officials and visitors help cut the ribbon during Thursday’s ceremony at Gulley Park. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
Visitors play in the interactive water fountain during Thursday’s ceremony at Gulley Park. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
Visitors play on a new playground during Thursday’s ceremony at Gulley Park. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
Visitors play on a new chess table during Thursday’s ceremony at Gulley Park. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
