A Message Etched In Concrete
Morganton community transforms Martin Luther King Jr. Park
By Ethan Smith
Photos: City of Morganton Parks and Recreation Department
Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Morganton, N.C., is a story of community-powered transformation. Once a park with aged and outdated equipment, it is now a local favorite on spring and summer days, with its first-class playground equipment and a splash pad engraved with words from speeches by the park’s namesake.
The new park came to fruition after years of planning. Prior to the park’s renovations, it contained only two picnic shelters, two benches, aged playground structures, and a plaque noting the park’s original dedication in 1987. The construction of the new park was made possible by grants from the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation and the Morganton Parks and Recreation Foundation. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in April 2019.
At the ceremony, Allen Fullwood, one of the community leaders who recognized the need for a new park and was instrumental in bringing the vision to life, recalled the days of his youth growing up on Bouchelle Street, when the area was not what it is now.
“It excites me to see this transformation,” Fullwood said. “I’m a son of Bouchelle Street, and I was raised by this community. I can recall as a kid coming down with a dirt field here and where we played. It’s amazing what can occur when reasonable people come together at the table and have dialogue. I certainly hope that this evening, with this ribbon cutting, it will initiate the opportunities for reasonable people to come together and have dialogue about the progress in the total community of Morganton.”
Input From The Masses
In the process of creating the new park, city of Morganton Parks and Recreation Director Rob Winkler says extra care was taken to make sure that what was built was something the entire community wanted, and was not the result of only a few people’s ideas.
Because of these conversations, the park now has a mega-tower structure with multiple slides, a gravity rail system, a swing set, a walking track, a splash pad, and more. In the concrete base of the splash pad are stainless-steel words that echo the message of King. These words include “Character,” “Principle,” “Forward,” “Justice,” and “Love,” among others.
Winkler says his hope is that these words will spark conversation between children and their parents about the purpose of these words, and will therefore lead to conversations about King’s message of equality and love.
“When our children play in the splash pad and they read these words, it’s going to resonate with them,” Winkler says. “They’re going to wonder about it, they’re going to ask questions about it, and, hopefully, they’re going to hear the story about it.”
Amenities Abound
The splash pad is environmentally friendly as well. Water that flows through the splash pad is collected in a tank and is then reused by the nearby Mountain View Elementary School to irrigate its sports fields.
The walking track around the park is perfect for parents who want to get some exercise while watching their children play. A shelter in the middle of the park provides some shade for those having picnics and parties. A new basketball court opened beside the park shortly after renovations were completed. Future improvements will include an extension to the Catawba River Greenway that will connect to the park at its entrance on Alphabet Lane.
“We are incredibly proud of the community involvement that played an instrumental role in breathing new life into Martin Luther King Jr. Park,” Winkler says. “It is something everyone in Morganton can enjoy for generations to come.”
Ethan Smith is the Public Information Officer for the city of Morganton, N.C. Reach him at (828) 432-2516, or esmith@ci.morganton.nc.us.