Since starting my current position last November as the Hurley Park manager, I have enjoyed getting to see the park during different seasons.

There have been some great and not so great things that have happened since my tenure, but through it all, Hurley Park still seems to rise above the debris/mess and somehow provide a unique beauty that is not seen in every city.

Due to the flooding and rains, we have had lots of issues in the park. It will take a good deal of time to get everything complete but even with that, we have a lot to be thankful for. In today’s article, I will write about our blessings.

One of the tasks on my initial list for Hurley Park was to increase its social media presence. We have increased our Google reviews, Facebook visits, views, likes, photos, events and videos, and we have even added an Instagram account which is perfect for our flowers and unique structures.

Every comment and post we receive about Hurley Park is reviewed and if we have a complaint, our staff personally sees to it that it is taken care of in a timely and efficient manner.

With the storms that we have had over the last month, this connection has alerted us to issues in the park before the start of our work day. For that, we are forever grateful to the community for giving us these tips!

The community is an important piece that makes Hurley Park so special. It is truly the community’s park, and we feel that increasing our lines of communication will only strengthen and ensure that Hurley Park will continue for years to come.

There is a saying that out of the ashes, beauty will rise. I can’t help but think this is true for Hurley Park. Although Hurley has not been burned, it has been maimed by the recent storms. However, even after a few short weeks, the beauty is starting to shine through.

Just the other day as I was driving to the park, a brightly colored yellow and orange object caught my eye in the sea of greenery. It was a chicken of the woods mushroom, and it was a sight to behold! It was enormous, and the vibrant colors made my gloomy, wet day bright.

Another beautiful moment for Hurley after one of the storms was our second annual Butterfly Release Event. We had more than 400 attendees, and we were overwhelmed by the response.

Getting to see all of the children in awe over the butterflies was a wonderful feeling. We are already planning for next year and hope to make the event even better.

After all of the butterflies were released, I was out in the park checking our milkweed plants to see if I could find any caterpillars. Neighbors and friends of the park had contacted me to let me know they had seen them on their plants but to my dismay, I had not found any at that time.

After searching for what seemed like weeks, I finally found a Monarch caterpillar on our milkweed. It was like finding a diamond in the rough. Now we just have to wait a little while for it to turn into a true gem of a butterfly.

For more information on Hurley Park, visit: https://salisburync.gov/Government/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks/Hurley-Park, like us on Facebook and Instagram, or call us at 704-638-4459.