1974
May: The Town of Carlisle voted to buy the .6 acre site that would become Center Park.
2004
February: Sabrina Perry sought the help of the Carlisle Garden Club in holding funds to enhance the parcel of land immediately adjacent to Daisy’s garage on Lowell Street. These initial gifts were in memory of her late husband, H. Russell Perry Jr. who moved to town with his family in 1963.
July: Carlisle resident and retired landscape architect Pliny Jewell III pledged to support the design services of a consulting landscape architect, Lowell Robinson, as a gift to the town.
December: Surveyors Stamski & McNary generously provided a map detailing the boundaries and the trees on the site that enabled Lowell Robinson and Pliny Jewell III to develop their site plan for the eventual park.
2005
April: Lowell Robinson and Sabrina Perry presented the preliminary design to the Carlisle Board of Selectmen. They requested a site plan review so the community would have an opportunity to comment. Tim Hult became the town’s liaison to the project. Site plan review presentations were made to the Carlisle Historical Commission, the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, the Board of Health, and the Pedestrian Bike Safety Advisory Committee. Additional comment was sought from the Chief of Police, the Fire Chief, the superintendent of the Department of Public Works, the Building Inspector and the director of the Council on Aging. Certified letters describing relevant public hearings were mailed to the site’s abutters.
November: Carlisle’s Department of Public Works cleared the site of fallen trees, brush and general debris.
2006
August: Sabrina Perry and Lowell Robinson presented the final report on the site plan review to the Carlisle Board of Selectmen.
September: The Carlisle Board of Selectmen voted to create Center Park as a collaborative project of the Town of Carlisle and the Friends of Center Park.
Tim Hult, chair of the Selectmen, remained the town’s liaison to the park project; Sabrina Perry became the project coordinator. Under Section 115 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Town of Carlisle became the fiscal agent for Center Park, accepting funds and distributing payments through the town’s invoice approval process.
October: Center Park was inaugurated during ParkFest, a community celebration with music provided by a middle-school quartet, refreshments provided by Whole Foods Market and remarks by town officials and the Friends of Center Park.
November: The Campaign for Carlisle’s Center Park, a successful community fundraising program, raised nearly $70,000 within seven months.
2007
April: Construction and planting began with landscape garden designer Maria von Brincken, APLD, supervising the layout for the initial year of her five-year design plan. Local growers provided many of the perennials in the garden. Lowell Robinson, landscape architect, selected the perimeter plantings of trees and shrubs.
June: Festivities on Carlisle’s 2007 Old Home Day included a gala dedication for Center Park, including music by the Ancient Mariners Dixieland Band; ice cream, courtesy of Kimball Farms; and a handsome cake.
2008
June: Center Park celebrated its first birthday with a party on Old Home Day.
September: The Carlisle Garden Club, supported by a grant from the Carlisle Cultural Council, invited Isabella Stewart Gardner, enacted by Jessa Piaia , to visit the park. ‘Mrs. Jack’ arrived in an antique touring car, and was welcomed by several Garden Club members dressed in period clothing.
2009
June: Old Home Day, 2009, saw Center Park celebrate its second birthday.
2010
June: In celebration of its third birthday a video highlighting the history of the park since 1974 was posted on YouTube® and on the Carlisle’s community web site.
September: The park was the site of a rally for Jon Golnik, a Carlisle resident and candidate for U.S. Senate.
2011
July: In preparation for its fourth birthday, the Friends of Center Park have worked to construct an Internet presence for the park. And, as usual, there will be a birthday party (with its now customary music, ice cream and cake) at the park as one of Carlisle’s Old Home Day events.
2012
A highlight of this year’s Center Park birthday celebration, its fifth, on Carlisle’s 100th Old Home Day will be a chance for the community to appreciate Maria von Brincken’s initial five-year garden design that is nearing completion, with foliage filling in and blooms galore.
The Ancient Mariners Dixieland Band will return to present their danceable, toe-tapping tunes; there will be ice cream from Kimball Farm and a Vicki Lee birthday cake. Everyone is invited to join the fun from 2 to 3:30 pm on Saturday, June 30.
