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Nov 13, 2024

John Chavis Memorial Park

Crowd walks outside the historic carousel at John Chavis Memorial Park. Updated: Nov 1, 2024 Year 1937 | Acres 28.87 | Landmarks Near Shaw University Home to the Allan Herschell No. 2 Special

Crowd walks outside the historic carousel at John Chavis Memorial Park.

Updated: Nov 1, 2024

Year 1937 | Acres 28.87 | Landmarks Near Shaw University

Home to the Allan Herschell No. 2 Special Three-Abreast Carousel since 1937. In April 2016, John Chavis Memorial Park was added to the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places. The park includes a half-mile section of the Capital Area Greenway Trail.

John Chavis Memorial Park Bond ProjectLearn about the City of Oaks Foundation and the Friends of Chavis Park

919-996-6590

Dana Brown [email protected]

Madison Phillips Assistant [email protected]

Jessica Dohme Assistant [email protected]

Get DirectionsKnow Before You Go

The newly renovated at John Chavis Memorial Park includes artist David Wilson’s “Chavis Reclaimed” artwork glass collage.

The community center has a variety of rooms available for rent. See rentals and rates.

View the virtual 360 community center tour.​​

The fitness room has rubberized fitness flooring, fans, multiple machines, and a spectacular view of the plaza and downtown skyline. The equipment includes 3 treadmills, 2 upright bikes, 2 recumbent bikes, a rowing machine, dumbbells, kettlebells, suspension trainer, resistance bands, and equalizer bars.

View monthly pass information.

The locker rooms have accessible showers, restrooms, lockers, and baby-changing tables.

The gymnasium features maple flooring, 8 low-rise bleachers with spacious foot treads, 2 main basketball goals, and 4 side basketball goals. There are game lines for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball. The gym is available for rent for $85 per hour.

The gym features a second-floor indoor track. Sixteen times around the track equals a mile. The track has a rubberized track surface with multiple lanes, reversing travel patterns, and a rest/stretching zone that overlooks the plaza and downtown skyline. The track is available for rent for $75 per hour.

View other court locations.

The carousel, circa 1923, was purchased in 1937 for $4,000. The band organ is a Wurlitzer 146A with an ornately carved and decorated facade. Carousel hours vary depending on the season and may close early due to inclement weather.

Tickets can be purchased online in advance on RecLink or in person at the front desk in the community center. For more information, call 919-996-6590.

John Chavis Memorial Park: Past to Present is an outdoor exhibit interpreting events that impacted the development of the park while highlighting community stories from the park's earliest days up to the present. The outdoor exhibit is located by the historic carousel house and playgrounds.

Learn more about the exhibit, planning process, and history of John Chavis Memorial Park.

View other field locations.

Request your field rental online using RecLink or by contacting Athletics at 919-996-6836.

Take note: Requests will be subject to staff approval. Upon approval, payment will be required to confirm the reservation. Your reservation is not finalized until you receive confirmation of your payment.

John Chavis Memorial Park has meeting rooms, fields, a reception hall, a gymnasium, and more available for rent.

Find rates and rental information.

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