Martin Marietta donates to new, state-of-the-art park

Raleigh is home to a new and exciting park for kids — and kids at heart — thanks in part to a donation from Martin Marietta.

The Gipson Play Plaza, a one-of-a-kind community center, opened in June at the city’s Dorothea Dix Park.

Once the site of the state’s first mental health facility, the area is being transformed into a destination for wellness, play and community connection. The 18.5-acre play plaza is the largest adventure playground in the entire Southeastern United States.

Inspired by the region’s natural landscapes, the play area features climbing towers, water play zones, slides and locally sourced boulders and rocks. Additional amenities include expansive lawns for picnics, charcoal grills, a civic plaza and a grab-and-go market for snacks and drinks.

The project required years of development and strong community support. A longtime partner of Dix Park, Martin Marietta has contributed more than $2 million in cash and material donations since 2017 to support the park’s development.

For the Gipson Play Plaza specifically, the company provided nearly 8,000 tons, or more than 185,000 cubic feet, of stone aggregate, along with six boulders from its Garner Quarry. One of those boulders serves as the centerpiece of the splash pad and a prominent landmark near the pavilion.

“Community and stewardship are two of our guiding principles. We’re committed to connecting with our neighbors and leaving the world better than we found it,” said Chair and CEO Ward Nye.
“We can think of no better project to achieve these aims than the Gipson Play Plaza at Dix Park, a shared, natural gathering space for all Raleigh residents to enjoy.”

The park’s construction was part of a parks bond initiative approved by Raleigh voters in 2022. Projects funded by the bond are expanding access to healthy recreation options across the city.

Janet Cowell, Raleigh mayor and past president and CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy, expressed gratitude to the many individuals and organizations, including Martin Marietta, who made the plaza possible.

“Gipson Play Plaza is a generational addition to all the things that make Raleigh a great place to live, work and play,” Cowell said.
“On behalf of the entire city, I thank everyone who supported the 2022 Parks Bond, which helped make the Play Plaza and many more projects around Raleigh possible. I also offer heartfelt thanks to the Dix Park Conservancy, Pat and Tom Gipson, Martin Marietta, North State Bank, Truist Bank, other donors and supporters, and the city staff for their ongoing operational support. We look forward to seeing even more great things at Dix Park.”