Gill Street Park: Phase 1 Improvements
Gill Street Park: Phase 1 Improvements
The Board of Commissioners adopted the Play Zebulon: Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Master Plan in September 2021. Play Zebulon provides a mission, vision, goals, and action items based on community input to guide Parks and Recreation decisions. Making improvements to Gill Street Park was an identified priority in the Master Plan. Following community engagement, the Board of Commissioners adopted the Gill Street Park Master Plan in November of 2025.
We are currently working to prepare a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant application. The adopted plan has multiple phases, and the Town is working to move forward with development of the first phase. More information can be found below. Follow the tabs below to view site plans and share your feedback.
Project Background
Gill St Park first opened in the 1960s on the site of a previous landfill. As these renovations would require substantial soil disturbance, staff sought a soil survey to identify if there were any concerns regarding hazardous materials. Initial studies at a depth of a foot below the surface noted lead present below the surface in the area of the playground. Upon further surface testing, elevated levels of lead were found along Privette St and the northern boundary of the park.
In an effort to move forward with the addition of new park amenities, the Town began searching for an alternative site for the proposed improvements to Gill St Park that could provide a similar level of service to the neighborhood. As a result of this search, the town has identified 5 acres of undeveloped land north of the current Gill St Park, adjacent to Zebulon Middle School and Zebulon Cemetery. This site will allow for the development of a new neighborhood park with the desired amenities and a small community building. The Town has also recently completed an environmental assessment of this site, and determined that no contaminants exist in the new park. The map below shows the new park site within the Town-owned parcel and the neighborhood context, alongside example images of proposed amenities.
Gill Street Park Context
