Dix Park: Difference between revisions

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To support planning and oversight, the City created the Dix Park Inter-Departmental Team and a public advisory committee. The park’s development is coordinated across city departments, including Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, Planning and Development, and Transportation.<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/dix-park-advisory-committee</ref>

== Dix Park Conservancy ==

The [[Dix Park Conservancy]] is a nonprofit organization established to support the development, activation, and long-term stewardship of Dorothea Dix Park. The Conservancy works in partnership with the [[City of Raleigh]] to raise private funds, coordinate programming, and advocate for the park’s long-term vision.<ref>https://dixpark.org/about/</ref>

The organization was launched following the City’s adoption of the park’s master plan and reflects a governance model used by other large urban parks, in which a public owner partners with a nonprofit entity to support capital projects, operations, and community engagement.<ref>https://dixpark.org/about/our-story/</ref>

The Conservancy’s stated priorities include:

* Supporting implementation of the Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan

* Fundraising for park improvements and amenities

* Hosting and supporting public programming and events

* Advancing equitable access and community engagement

The Conservancy operates under a formal agreement with the City of Raleigh and does not own the park property. Ultimate authority over land use and capital decisions remains with the City and the [[Raleigh City Council]].<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/dorothea-dix-park</ref>

== Development and phased implementation ==

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Dorothea Dix Park is referenced in the City’s long-range planning documents, including the [[Raleigh 2030 Comprehensive Plan]], as a key civic and recreational asset. The park is also considered in transportation, greenway, and cultural planning initiatives due to its proximity to downtown and regional trail networks.<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/2030-comprehensive-plan</ref>

== Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan (2019) ==

In April 2019, the Raleigh City Council adopted the '''Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan''', a long-range framework intended to guide the park’s design, development, and programming over multiple decades.<ref>https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR22/DixParkMasterPlan.pdf</ref>

The master plan was developed following a multi-year public engagement and design process led by the City of Raleigh in collaboration with design consultants and community stakeholders. City materials describe the planning effort as one of the most extensive park-planning initiatives undertaken in Raleigh.<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/dorothea-dix-park-planning</ref>

=== Planning principles ===

The adopted master plan emphasizes several guiding principles:

* Preservation of large contiguous open spaces

* Flexible landscapes that can accommodate evolving uses over time

* Environmental stewardship and restoration

* Integration with surrounding neighborhoods and downtown Raleigh

* Limited permanent structures relative to the site’s size

The plan intentionally avoids prescribing a fixed build-out timeline, reflecting the City’s intent to allow the park to evolve in response to funding availability, community needs, and operational capacity.

=== Land use and program framework ===

Rather than dividing the park into traditional recreational zones, the master plan identifies broad landscape areas intended to support a mix of uses, including passive recreation, cultural events, and ecological restoration. Infrastructure investments such as roads, utilities, and drainage improvements are treated as prerequisite phases for future development.

City planning documents note that many former hospital buildings were evaluated for demolition or adaptive reuse, with decisions informed by safety, cost, and long-term maintenance considerations.<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/dorothea-dix-park-history</ref>

=== Implementation and phasing ===

Implementation of the master plan is expected to occur over several decades. Early phases have focused on interim uses, site stabilization, and public access improvements, while later phases contemplate major capital investments.

City staff have described the plan as a policy and vision document rather than a capital project schedule, with individual projects subject to future Council approval and funding decisions.<ref>https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BA9T5Q6DAB45</ref>

== Public use and programming ==

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 To support planning and oversight, the City created the Dix Park Inter-Departmental Team and a public advisory committee. The park’s development is coordinated across city departments, including Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, Planning and Development, and Transportation.<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/dix-park-advisory-committee</ref>
+== Dix Park Conservancy ==
+The [[Dix Park Conservancy]] is a nonprofit organization established to support the development, activation, and long-term stewardship of Dorothea Dix Park. The Conservancy works in partnership with the [[City of Raleigh]] to raise private funds, coordinate programming, and advocate for the park’s long-term vision.<ref>https://dixpark.org/about/</ref>
+The organization was launched following the City’s adoption of the park’s master plan and reflects a governance model used by other large urban parks, in which a public owner partners with a nonprofit entity to support capital projects, operations, and community engagement.<ref>https://dixpark.org/about/our-story/</ref>
+The Conservancy’s stated priorities include:
+* Supporting implementation of the Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan
+* Fundraising for park improvements and amenities
+* Hosting and supporting public programming and events
+* Advancing equitable access and community engagement
+The Conservancy operates under a formal agreement with the City of Raleigh and does not own the park property. Ultimate authority over land use and capital decisions remains with the City and the [[Raleigh City Council]].<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/dorothea-dix-park</ref>
 == Development and phased implementation ==
@@ Line 64: / Line 79: @@
 Dorothea Dix Park is referenced in the City’s long-range planning documents, including the [[Raleigh 2030 Comprehensive Plan]], as a key civic and recreational asset. The park is also considered in transportation, greenway, and cultural planning initiatives due to its proximity to downtown and regional trail networks.<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/2030-comprehensive-plan</ref>
+== Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan (2019) ==
+In April 2019, the Raleigh City Council adopted the '''Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan''', a long-range framework intended to guide the park’s design, development, and programming over multiple decades.<ref>https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR22/DixParkMasterPlan.pdf</ref>
+The master plan was developed following a multi-year public engagement and design process led by the City of Raleigh in collaboration with design consultants and community stakeholders. City materials describe the planning effort as one of the most extensive park-planning initiatives undertaken in Raleigh.<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/dorothea-dix-park-planning</ref>
+=== Planning principles ===
+The adopted master plan emphasizes several guiding principles:
+* Preservation of large contiguous open spaces
+* Flexible landscapes that can accommodate evolving uses over time
+* Environmental stewardship and restoration
+* Integration with surrounding neighborhoods and downtown Raleigh
+* Limited permanent structures relative to the site’s size
+The plan intentionally avoids prescribing a fixed build-out timeline, reflecting the City’s intent to allow the park to evolve in response to funding availability, community needs, and operational capacity.
+=== Land use and program framework ===
+Rather than dividing the park into traditional recreational zones, the master plan identifies broad landscape areas intended to support a mix of uses, including passive recreation, cultural events, and ecological restoration. Infrastructure investments such as roads, utilities, and drainage improvements are treated as prerequisite phases for future development.
+City planning documents note that many former hospital buildings were evaluated for demolition or adaptive reuse, with decisions informed by safety, cost, and long-term maintenance considerations.<ref>https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/dorothea-dix-park-history</ref>
+=== Implementation and phasing ===
+Implementation of the master plan is expected to occur over several decades. Early phases have focused on interim uses, site stabilization, and public access improvements, while later phases contemplate major capital investments.
+City staff have described the plan as a policy and vision document rather than a capital project schedule, with individual projects subject to future Council approval and funding decisions.<ref>https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BA9T5Q6DAB45</ref>
 == Public use and programming ==