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Steve Raper, with Geo. Raper & Son, Inc., said he was happy to see the park in its completion and he has gotten a lot of positive feedback from the community on the Social Networking site Twitter.
“It actually turned out better than my expectation,” he said.
It was difficult for the team to disturb the 44 acres and shape the land to what residents got to see during the grand opening Sunday.
Lead Landscape Architect with OBS Land Architecture Brian Starkey said it is because of the attempt to keep the area as natural as possible park goers won’t find any baseball fields there.
“It’s supposed to be all about nature,” he said.
The park has already changed Garner, Raper said, with the Town Council’s forward thought process to buy the land in 2001 for a park that would preserve the natural habitat for animals. It also will help change Garner’s image, something many of the Town Council candidates have pointed out as a priority during their campaigns.
“I truly believe it is a jewel for them in building a great community,” Raper said.
White Deer Park Director Stephanie Moody said she was both relieved and excited to see the opening day finally here. She cannot wait to get started with planning educational programs, which are set to “go live” in early February.
“That’s really exciting,” she said.
While no programs have officially started, park goers got a chance to see various animals at the Nature Center Sunday.
Director for Carolinas Reptile Rescue and Education Center Grover Barfield showed off venomous snakes in a terrarium, while a black rat snake was wrapped around his arm. CLAWS, Inc. also came with friends of their own, showing off a screech owl, a barn owl, a skunk and even a baby opossum.
A growing Garner
The opening of White Deer Park marked more than 300 acres of park space available in Garner.
The park cost Garner residents more than $4 million, but Councilman Gra Singleton said if the Town had decided to complete the project in phases, it would have been much more expensive and would have taken several more years to complete.
White Deer Park took nearly a year to complete under the direction of Geo. Raper and Son, Inc. Buffaloe family sold the land to the Town of Garner in 2001 and planning for the park began in 2004.
Mayor Pro tem Buck Kennedy said it was the foresight of the Aldermen before the current Council, like Phil Matthews and Janice Stephenson that made the park possible. Those Town officials made a big investment in Garner’s future.
Councilman Jackie Johns said the park is something residents of Garner can be proud of.
“God has blessed us her in Garner to have this beautiful park,” he said.
However, Town Manager Hardin Watkins said that pride will surely last for years to come.
“Those of you that know great parks know that great parks get better over time,” he said.
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