Isabella Cannon Park

Isabella Cannon Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a 3.5-acre community park that offers a variety of recreational amenities for visitors. Formerly known as Gardner Street Neighborhood Park, it was renamed in honor of Raleigh's first female mayor, Isabella Cannon, who passed away at the age of 97 on February 13, 2002.

The park features a wide, inviting main entrance path on Kilgore Avenue, leading to an open field surrounded by a concrete walkway. Along this pathway, visitors can find several comfortable benches to rest and enjoy views of the open area. The park also includes newly planted Knockout Roses behind the entry wall, symbolizing Mrs. Cannon's love for the Rose Garden.

One of the unique features of Isabella Cannon Park is its small rock climbing area, which is the first of its kind in the Raleigh Parks System. The base of the climbing boulder has padding to soften any falls, and there are posted rules for safe climbing.

For sports enthusiasts, the park offers renovated basketball courts. Families with children can enjoy the playground area, which includes a swing set, jungle gym, and see-saws. The playground has both a mulch base and a sandy area, with several picnic tables and benches scattered throughout.

The park also includes a more densely wooded area with unpaved paths, accessible via a new stairway. This section features a charcoal grill for visitors who wish to have a cookout. Additionally, there is a pavilion with four picnic tables on one side of the park, providing a sheltered area for gatherings and meals.

Isabella Cannon Park serves as a testament to community involvement, as its renovations were provided by a 2003 bond referendum. The project, from soliciting community ideas to developing the master plan and executing it, successfully achieved its goals of bringing the community together.