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Garner Independence Day celebration sees changes

By McLean Dobbins
Citizen Journalist

Every year when July 3 rolls around, Demetrius Hunter is usually busy directing traffic at the town’s annual Independence Day Celebration.

Demetrius Hunter

This year will be different.

“I got a VIP pass this year,” Hunter said.

The Public Works Department recently named Hunter, 57, its Employee of the Year. The department awarded Hunter for his exceptional work by giving him July 3 off as well as his own parking spot for a year at the Public Works Complex.

The honor, which is the first of its kind awarded by the department, takes on added meaning because the recipient is voted on by other public works employees.

“It really puts the pressure on to shine,” Hunter said.

Making sure the town runs smoothly

A public works employee for 15 years, Hunter has worked for the past 11 years as a street technician, answering resident complaints, doing repairs, enforcing town code and working on special projects such as recycling surveys to determine how many people are using recycling bins.

“I like helping people, and the job is close to home,” Hunter said.

Originally from Raleigh, Hunter moved to Garner in 1980 with his wife, Minnie. During the nearly three decades he has lived in Garner, he said he has seen the town grow. And with growth comes added responsibility.

If a resident’s trash does not get picked up, it is Hunter’s job to figure out what happened. If signs are posted in places that go against town code, such as on stop sign posts or utility posts, it is his job to take them down.

In other words, it is Hunter’s job to keep everything running smoothly, including the Independence Day Celebration.

But this time he can just relax and enjoy the spectacle for a change.

Changes to July 3 celebration

This year’s celebration will take place Friday, July 3 at Lake Benson Park. The gates will open at 5 p.m. with fireworks scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. Music will be performed by Johnny White and the Elite Band and the North Carolina Symphony.

Parks and Recreation Bureau Manager Cherry Gay said the event is not commercialized.

“It’s sponsored by the town of Garner for the town of Garner,” Gay said. “It’s a very safe event, and police have a large presence.”

According to Gay, the biggest change to this year’s celebration is parking.

“We lost parking at White Deer Park, which can hold about 500 cars,” Gay said. Six shuttle buses will be available to transport guests to Lake Benson Park and back to their vehicles to make up for the lost parking spaces. The shuttle buses will run from Centennial Park, Garner Church of God and New Bethel Baptist Church.

See an interactive parking and shuttle map »

A full schedule of events is available at the Garner Parks and Recreation Web site, garnerparks.org.

In another change to this year’s celebration, the fireworks will be displayed from White Deer Park across the street rather than at Lake Benson Park. As a result, Buffaloe Road from Hwy 50 to Aversboro Road will be closed to traffic starting at 8:30 p.m.

“It should allow for the event to be more free-flowing,” Gay said.

The switch means that guests will need to simply turn around to see the fireworks.

An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people attended last year’s celebration. The Parks and Recreation Department expects that this year’s event could draw even more people because of Raleigh’s decision to cancel its own celebration.

And with his free pass for the night, Hunter will be one of those extra spectators to enjoy the fireworks.

Related articles:

• Photos: Independence Day celebration at Lake Benson
• Celebrating Independence Day, the Garner way

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