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Friday, November 28, 2025
If you live in Harrisonburg and have been paying attention to local happenings over the past decade, you are likely familiar with the volunteer-led nonprofit organization Build Our Park.
The organization's name does a good job of explaining what it exists to do: in short, Build Our Park exists because many local leaders and residents want a park built in Downtown Harrisonburg.
Over the past decade, much progress has been made, but more recently, the years of effort have finally started to come together.
The Capital Campaign
Most recently, Build Our Park hosted a capital campaign kickoff reception -- a milestone event marking the formal start of the effort to raise $3.8 million to build the park just south of Turner Pavilion.
By the end of the evening, the organization had raised $130,000, bringing its total to $1.43 million -- a little more than one-third of its overall goal.
What the Park Will Offer
Plans for the future park include a permanent stage designed to support concerts, festivals, and community celebrations, including the Levitt AMP series. The design also calls for expanded lawn space and improved pedestrian access, including the removal of one row of parking between Turner Pavilion and the grassy area.
Looking Ahead
Once completed, Build Our Park will transfer ownership of the park to the City of Harrisonburg, ensuring it becomes a publicly managed, permanently accessible space for everyone in the community.
With early design work complete and fundraising now underway, much of the foundational work that once stood in the way has been cleared. According to board members, the next major milestone will be securing the funding needed to begin construction in 2027.
After years of dreaming, debating, and designing, the question is no longer whether Harrisonburg will build a downtown park. It's simply how quickly we can get it done together.
The organization's name does a good job of explaining what it exists to do: in short, Build Our Park exists because many local leaders and residents want a park built in Downtown Harrisonburg.
Over the past decade, much progress has been made, but more recently, the years of effort have finally started to come together.
The Capital Campaign
Most recently, Build Our Park hosted a capital campaign kickoff reception -- a milestone event marking the formal start of the effort to raise $3.8 million to build the park just south of Turner Pavilion.
By the end of the evening, the organization had raised $130,000, bringing its total to $1.43 million -- a little more than one-third of its overall goal.
What the Park Will Offer
Plans for the future park include a permanent stage designed to support concerts, festivals, and community celebrations, including the Levitt AMP series. The design also calls for expanded lawn space and improved pedestrian access, including the removal of one row of parking between Turner Pavilion and the grassy area.
Looking Ahead
Once completed, Build Our Park will transfer ownership of the park to the City of Harrisonburg, ensuring it becomes a publicly managed, permanently accessible space for everyone in the community.
With early design work complete and fundraising now underway, much of the foundational work that once stood in the way has been cleared. According to board members, the next major milestone will be securing the funding needed to begin construction in 2027.
After years of dreaming, debating, and designing, the question is no longer whether Harrisonburg will build a downtown park. It's simply how quickly we can get it done together.
