With the official start of summer and temperatures rising, Hurley Park is busier than ever. We have had numerous requests and questions about what is going on and what is new in the park. Below are some of the most common questions we have received in the last few weeks:

Question: Why are there signs everywhere about glitter? 

Answer: Litter has increased exponentially at the park recently. Sadly, the biggest piece of litter we are picking up in the park is from confetti and glitter bombs. Most of the confetti bombs have tiny pieces of plastic and paper that gets into the garden beds, gravel, creek, and in-between bridge planks that make it almost impossible to clean up entirely. Due to the increase of litter, we placed signs to make people aware that even though it seems like a small piece of litter it is still trash and needs to be picked up.

Question: I would like to have a wedding at the gazebo with about 40 guests, can I reserve the gazebo?

Answer: We are starting to take reservations for the park while following city and state orders. Currently outdoor events can only allow 25 guests (this includes the wedding party), so we cannot allow a gathering larger than that. Once the restrictions are adjusted we will be able to accommodate larger crowds for outdoor events. If the date is in the future I suggest giving us a call/email to make sure the date is available. Since we have been able to accept rentals we have received an increase in calls and requests to reserve the park. If you do not check on your date we cannot guarantee that the park will be available for your event.

Question: Since we have COVID-19 will you be able to have the butterfly release?

Answer: We are still planning on having a butterfly release event this year. However, it will be something different than what we have done in the past. We want to make sure everyone is safe so it will have to be done in a different capacity. We are currently in talks with our speaker and hope to have news soon on what we will have this fall.

Question: The park is so beautiful right now, what are some of the plants blooming?

Answer: We have had quite a few bloomers in the park and some are ramping up while others are just about finished. We receive quite a few compliments on the echinacea (Purple Coneflower) and butterfly weed since they attract so many beneficial insects. Our yellow daylilies were a real hit this year too and were a perfect follow up to the daffodils. Another star has been the sweet smelling gardenias and oriental lilies that are speckled throughout the park. They are always a favorite because of their delightful fragrance and beauty. We encourage you to stop by and see the beauty at Hurley Park.

As always we appreciate the questions about Hurley Park, if you have additional questions about the park or what is in bloom, please give us a call at 704-638-4459 or contact us on Facebook or Instagram @HurleyParkNC. If you would like to donate to Hurley Park, go to our website at https://salisburync.gov/Government/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks/Hurley-Park.