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Deputy City Manager Mary Vigu outlines temporary pop-up park at 305 Chestnut for 250th anniversary
Summary
Deputy City Manager Mary Vigu told the Wilmington City Council the city will open a temporary pop-up park at 305 Chestnut with a May 22 kickoff and programming through September; staff said the activation is temporary and will not foreclose future sale or development of the parcel.
Deputy City Manager Mary Vigu told the Wilmington City Council that the city will open a temporary pop-up park at 305 Chestnut, the former city hall site, with a public kickoff scheduled for May 22.
Vigu said the parcel is city-owned and was originally intended for sale, but staff decided to activate the lot temporarily to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary and remove an eyesore from downtown. “This is temporary,” Vigu said, adding that staff aim to have the site open from May through September and will return the parcel to market for sale or development afterward.
Vigu described cleanup and in-house repairs already completed, including repaired stonework, added irrigation and overhead lighting, red, white and blue lights in the trees, new fencing about to be installed, and an overhang featuring images commemorating the anniversary. She said the site will host previously authorized public art pieces (the teacups), flagpoles and a small pet water station, and that most work so far has been done by city crews.
City Manager (acting) said staff are also coordinating program partners. The presentation named a partnership with Thalian Hall for an outdoor movie series and said staff are exploring weekend pop-up shops to support small businesses downtown.
Council members asked how long the activation will last and whether the pop-up park would displace a possible grocery store at that site. Council member Santa Bridal said community members worried a park meant replacing a grocery plan and urged clarity that the park is an addition. “It’s not an instead, it’s an addition,” Santa Bridal said. The City Manager replied that staff are continuing discussions with interested parties and are evaluating other city-owned parcels that might be better suited for a grocery store, and that activating the Chestnut site does not prevent future development.
The meeting included a lighthearted exchange about introducing goats for vegetation management; Vigu said there are no goats yet and staff will provide updates if the program moves forward.
The kickoff is scheduled for May 22 at 11 a.m.; staff asked council and community members to attend. No formal council action was taken during the presentation, and officials said the parcel will remain available for sale or development following the temporary activation.
