Wilmington’s Rodney Reservoir Park has a new target date to open after construction delays this winter.
"We were hoping that it would open in May, but because of the lost days due to weather conditions it will now open in the late summer of 2025. So we're thinking the end of August," said Melody Phillips acting director for the Wilmington Parks and Recreation Department.
There were 91 days of construction lost due to winter weather that helped push the project’s completion until late summer.
August is the new target to open the park in the city’s Hilltop section at the site of the Rodney Reservoir, which was closed to the public in 2003.
Phillips says other delays also hampered the project.
"Outside of the weather there were a few construction hiccups along the way,” said Phillips. “Nothing overly significant, but there were a few delays. Because Public Works is managing the stormwater management as well, it caused some disruption in other areas of the park. So that was probably the biggest hiccup in construction, and then Public Works was able to work around that."
Phillips notes another tiny delay occurred over President Trump’s federal funding freeze orders this year, but that is no longer an issue.
She adds there is a significant amount of state funding for the project, and that helped overcome any federal money hang-ups.
The park in the Hilltop section of the city is slated to have trails, playground equipment, and views of the city from the elevation of the former water reservoir.
The park will also have a Community Garden that is slated to open next Spring, and there’s already a waiting list for those who want a plot in the garden.
