Dorothea Dix: Raleigh’s Central Park?

Sunflower Field, Dorothea Dix Park

View of Downtown Raleigh from Dorothea Dix Park

If you’re considering a move to Raleigh or the Triangle area from New York, one of the things you probably think you’ll miss is NYC’s iconic parks. You may worry you’ll miss out on the sheer vastness and history of Central Park. Or perhaps the slightly less vast, but equally diverse and well-rounded Prospect Park. Or maybe you’ll long for one of my personal favorites, Brooklyn Bridge Park and its mind-blowing views. Good news, generally: the Triangle actually kills it in the parks department. Good news, specifically: Raleigh is home to Dorothea Dix Park, one of the most exciting public park projects in the U.S. and it’s being designed by the world-renowned Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA).

MVVA is responsible many awesome, cutting-edge public parks around the U.S. and Canada, which include, among many others: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Chicago’s Maggie Daley Park, and Harold Simmons Park in Dallas.

BACKGROUND

“Dix Hill” was the site of North Carolina’s first psychiatric hospital, Dorothea Dix Hospital, from the mid-1800s until 2012. The hospital’s namesake was a mental health advocate who worked to reform care for mental health patients.  In July 2015, the City of Raleigh acquired 308 acres of the Dorothea Dix Campus from the State of North Carolina. The purpose of the City’s acquisition of the property is to plan and develop a new destination park – Dorothea Dix Park. The City leased back large portions of the Dorothea Dix Campus to the State for its administrative operations of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

If you’re a David Sedaris fan, you may have already heard of the hospital as the setting in “Dix Hill,” Sedaris’ essay about his job as a young volunteer, published in his collection, Naked.

In February 2019, the Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan was adopted unanimously by Raleigh City Council. The Master Plan sets a long-term vision for the park which will be constructed in phases. Phase 1 is anticipated to last 10 years, but each Phase 1 project will have its own timeline for completion.

If you want to get involved, information about volunteer opportunities are shared through Dix’s social media channels. You can also contact info@dixpark.org.

DIX TODAY

Dog Park

Since most of us only really care about dogs, I’ll start here. The temporary 3+ acre dog park at Dix has separate areas for large and small dogs. The dog park is located on the site of the former athletic field on Biggs Drive (Dix Park Dog Park, 801 Biggs Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603). The area is part of the plaza and play project area, so as that design process moves forward, the dog park will likely be relocated to another area of the park. 

Sunflower Field

This is one of the most iconic, insta-obsessed features of Dix Park thus far. Though the sunflowers are taking a break for summer 2020 due to the pandemic, they’ll be back(?!) in 2021. Peak bloom for the flowers is mid- to late-July. And the sunflowers aren’t just there for looks—they’re harvested to process biodiesel for educational programs and demonstrations, including the NC Farm Show, the Got to Be NC Ag Festival and the Got to be NC Bioenergy Conference in Raleigh and Asheville. The sunflowers also serve as a massive pollinator habitat for bees and other species.

Festivals and Other Events

Throughout the year, the park is host to many events, including outdoor movies, races, and festivals, including SEEK Raleigh (art), Destination Sunfest (sunflowers), Family Field Day (kids n’ stuff), and Falling for Local (fall festival with vendors, beer, food, etc.)

Big Field

Big Field is a large open meadow frequently used for sunbathing, star-gazing, and large events. Goats have been known to mow the lawn. The Master Plan intends to expand Big Field: “The Meadow is a proposed expansion of the much-loved Big Field into a boundless-feeling common ground for Raleigh. Locals, newcomers, and visitors will be able to meet and wander along this landscape, which will extend Raleigh’s park and greenway network through Dix Park and link Pullen Park to the State Farmers Market. The opening up of the Meadow is a great opportunity to create a new regional-scale connection for pedestrians and bicyclists.”

Flowers Field

Flowers Field boasts downtown views, is used for the park’s outdoor movies, and uses daffodils in an attempt to compete with Sunflower Field.

The Valley (planned)

The Valley is a low-lying area of the park containing service buildings. The Master Plan intends to repurpose the area as a venue for concerts and other large events, adding “its design responds to the railroad that cuts through the low point of The Valley with an elevated trestle walk [read: the Highline!] to enable pedestrians to traverse the site from The Ridge to the proposed Water Garden.”

The Grove

According to the Master Plan, The Grove "will be a place to appreciate the City of Oaks, fall asleep in a hammock and sled down the hills during winter.  Families and individuals will find inspiration in the botanical garden, enjoy a small performance by a local theater group at the garden terrace, and walk, bike, jog and skip along a network of paths and greenways.  Pick-up games of all sorts, including soccer, cricket and field hockey will be happening on the sports fields. People will marvel at the views of downtown Raleigh and learn all about native flora and fauna at the arts and ecology center.”

Greenway Access

The Rocky Branch Greenway currently runs through Dix Park. The plan is to restore the ecosystems along the Rocky Branch, creating exaggerated creek banks that insulate the greenway from traffic noise on Western Boulevard. The Plan further states: “Beloved park spaces including Walnut Creek Greenway and Pullen Park are geographically close but separated from Dix Park by multi-lane roadways without sidewalks. The Master Plan proposes an improved network of connections for pedestrians and bicyclists to integrate Dix Park into the everyday life of Raleighites and transform it into a new natural, recreational, and cultural asset complementing the existing public spaces of the region.”

BIG PLANS BUT IT’S ALREADY COOL

The City of Raleigh and MVVA have big plans for this transformative public space—I didn’t cover even a fraction of the plans for the park and its connection to surrounding areas, so definitely check out the park and its Master Plan for yourself. But the fact is Dorothea Dix Park is plenty special already, and Raleighites are more than content with the park’s massive open fields, tree-lined streets, and skyline views.

Flowers Field at Sunset