Photo: BB&T Wilson Market President Wes Berry; Jenny Moore, project manager of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park Project (VSWGPP); Secretary Susan Kluttz; Wilson Mayor Bruce Rose; Henry Walston, chairman of the VSWGPP Steering Committee; Betty Ray McCain, former Cultural Resources secretary and member of the VSWGPP steering committee
A favorite project of many, including Secretary Susan Kluttz, is the Whirligig Park being constructed in downtown Wilson in honor of artist Vollis Simpson. It’s a great example of how art can be a spark to jumpstart the economy and redefine a community. “It’s a model for an art-driven economy,” says Sec. Kluttz. An example she uses as she travels across the state to speak to other towns who have seen furniture, mills and tobacco leave a void and are finding that arts and historic preservation can lead to a downtown renaissance, more jobs and new opportunities.
At the groundbreaking breakfast, BB&T market president Wes Berry announced a $100,000 pledge from the bank and presented a $50,000 check for the first installment with the second to come in October 2014.
Whirligigs are being installed for the dedication on Friday, Nov. 1, at 10 am to kick off the Whirligig Festival on Nov. 2 and 3. Great job, Wilson!
See more photos from the ground breaking here.