Several decisions were made regarding aesthetic features of Carrboro’s new Martin Luther King Jr. Park at a recent Board of Aldermen meeting. Along with approving four high-school finalists to paint the two murals in the park, the board also approved of three of the eight quotes to be featured on placards along the park’s walking trail.

Several board members expressed concern over the town’s Parks and Recreation Department being the only group deciding which quotes will be chosen. Among them was Alderwoman Barbara Foushee, who said she wants to make sure Dr. King is honored in his totality.

“This is nothing against the Parks and Rec Commission and their work,” she said. “Diversity is important, and there were important voices missing from the table and from this selection process, so I would like to recommend that we get some substitutions for some of them in order to get at the full energy of who Dr. King really was.”

The board recommended that the town’s youth advisory board, the local NAACP’s youth committee and the full local NAACP chapter be involved in deciding on the last five quotes. Alderwoman Bethany Chaney said she believes hearing from more voices will increase the reach and meaningfulness of the quotes selected.

“It’s not very clear whether we’ve had full participation in identifying the quotes that are most meaningful to a broad sector of the community,” she said at the meeting. “I’m troubled by that, and I’m not sure we’re a broad sector of the community.”

Involving several additional youth-led groups is yet another way the town is involving young people in the design of Martin Luther King Jr. Park, after deciding to commission four young artists as the muralists following a contest of mural designs. The board voted to allow all four designs to be used, finding ways to combine the four submissions into two murals.

The town plans to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 20, 2020.

Photo via Town of Carrboro.

Related Stories
‹
Sidewalk Repair Project Will Improve 25 Carrboro Streets
A $75,000 sidewalk repair project is ongoing now in Carrboro to fix damage and improve accessibility for those with mobility issues.
Murals Completed at Carrboro's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park
After months of work, two murals at the Town of Carrboro’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park have been completed. The town shared a release on Friday saying the artwork has been installed, with both pieces being directly inspired by and featuring Dr. King’s quotes and image. The artwork was designed by three local high […]
Carrboro Cuts the Ribbon on New Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park
Hundreds of Carrboro residents and community members gathered on Monday to celebrate the official opening of a new town park. The ribbon cutting ceremony was the culmination of planning that spanned over two decades for building the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The land, located at 1120 Hillsborough Road in Carrboro, was purchased by […]
Carrboro Board of Aldermen Changes Title to Town Council
Carrboro’s Board of Aldermen passed a resolution to change its title to Town Council at its meeting on Tuesday November 19.*** After being known as the Board of Aldermen for 50 years, the elected officials for Carrboro’s governing board are slated to change its name at their Tuesday meeting to a more inclusive title. […]
Deadline Nears for Carrboro's Martin Luther King Jr Mural Contest
The town of Carrboro is looking for community input ahead of the creation of two murals in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park. It is seeking high school students’ submissions for mural designs and community ideas for quotes from Dr. King to be featured in the park. The deadline for both is Friday November 1. For […]
Construction on New Carrboro Roundabout To Begin in August
A major road project thought to be delayed is set to begin construction in Carrboro, just weeks before students are moving back to the area for the fall semester. The town announced Tuesday that the construction on the Estes Drive/North Greensboro Street roundabout would begin on August 5. Construction of a roundabout on South Greensboro […]
Thanksgiving Holiday to Affect Local Government Services in Orange County (2025)
Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, November 27 this year, and the holiday will affect several local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s a rundown of what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 are both town holidays. Residential trash collection will not be affected. However, there […]
Town Of Carrboro Selects John Fussa As New Planning Director
The Town of Carrboro announced it has selected a new planning director. John Fussa will take up the role in Dec. 2025.
UPDATE: Missing Carrboro Teen Safely Located
Carrboro Police say Karina Westerlund has been safely located.** The Carrboro Police Department is asking for the community’s help in locating a missing teen. Karina Westerlund, 15, was last seen at her residence Friday, October 17 at approximately 7:30 p.m. Police say she was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and flannel pajama pants. […]
After Equipment Issues Within Depleted Fleet, Carrboro Warns of Delayed Waste Collection
An alert shared Wednesday morning said due to "unexpected equipment failures," the Town of Carrboro may have delays to its waste collection.
›