John Chavis Memorial Park and Community Center

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, an indoor and outdoor track, one youth baseball field with lighting and a multipurpose field (not lighted).

Offerings:
Community Center offers Programs complete with an outdoor balcony with spectacular views of the downtown Raleigh skyline and plaza

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 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.

Playground
Wide shot of playground at John Chavis Memorial Park
The playground features rubber safety surfacing. The natural play areas have playground mulch. The playground is designed for all ages. The playground includes areas for ages 2 to 5 years and 5 to 12 years, and several features are inviting for teenagers and adults.
The playground has adult exercise equipment, a skywalk climbing feature, and nature play elements.

Historic Allan Herschell Carousel
Family with two girls smiling on the carousel horses at Chavis Park
The carousel, circa 1923, was purchased in 1937. The band organ is a Wurlitzer 146A with an ornately carved and decorated facade.

Splash Pad and Carousel hours vary depending on the season and may close early due to inclement weather. Carousel tickets can be purchased online or in person.