Oh the Jaycee Park…something for everyone! As a member of the Raleigh Jaycees since 2007, I’m proud of this park and what it provides to the community. The Jaycee Park was built in the 1960’s and the Raleigh Jaycees were instrumental in helping raise funds by selling targets at the Turkey Shoot at the NC State Fair. Since then it has provided years of recreation for people of all ages. There’s such a wide variety of things to do here, it’ll take you half a day to explore them all.
If you’re looking for recreational activities, this is the park! It has 3 lit baseball fields, a large community center, 6 lit sand volleyball courts, 2 lit tennis courts, and a large sandy playground. Next to the sand volleyball courts there’s even a shower faucet for post-game rinses. The shade trees and benches next to the playground provide great picnic spots. There is also a large recycling drop-off area, community center, administration building, pavilion with charcoal grill and restrooms, and a hemerocallis (daylily) garden.
This park is located at 2405 Wade Avenue inside the beltline and has two entrances with parking lots, one from Wade Ave and one from Chamberlain St. From Wade Ave, you can easily get to the community center, administration building, and hemerocallis garden. To get to the recreational areas you can walk up a hill or drive around to the other parking area. The hill isn’t very steep, but there’s not a paved path so I don’t recommend it with a stroller.
Views of the baseball fields
Tennis courts and sand volleyball courts
Wade Ave entrance, administration building, and community center
Pavilion with restrooms and charcoal grill and playground
Ashley enjoying a shady spot near the playground
Raleigh Hemerocallis Garden and gazebo within the garden
3 of the 50+ different species of daylilies featured in the garden
Brick path that allows you to meander through the daylily garden
A plaque memorializing the daylily gardens in honor of Charles Benjamin “Ben” Huyett
Enjoy your time at Jaycee Park and don’t forget to appreciate how it came to be! If you’re interested in learning more about the Raleigh Jaycees come visit us at a meeting or better yet…come out to the Beer & Wine Tasting tomorrow night at Tir Na Nog to benefit the HOBY NC East program.
Thumbs up: condition of tennis/volleyball courts and baseball fields, landscaping, shady spots for picnics, daylily gardens, playground, parking
Thumbs down: Wade Ave entrance, lack of sidewalks near Wade Ave entrance, lack of signage