Daisy Stocking Park Grand Reopening
When comparing what Daisy Stocking Park in Daytona Beach looks like today to what it looked like before its multi-million-dollar renovation, the only thing that is remotely familiar is the park’s signature outdoor amphitheater. The rest of the neighborhood park at 555 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd. has been completely transformed into an inviting, thoughtful, and useful space for community gatherings or quiet reflection. Functional and aesthetic enhancements in the four-acre park will be unveiled to the public at a ribbon-cutting ceremony 5 p.m. Saturday, April 20 that will also kick off the Midtown Music Concert Series (more information available HERE).
The transformation of the public space and amphitheater, originally built in 1970, was made possible by the city’s commitment to preserving its history and expanding its cultural programming. The last major improvements to the park were made in 1995. Thanks to grants from the Florida African American Cultural and Historical Grant program ($1 million) and the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational Facilities District ($330,000), the $2.6 million project was able to move forward.
Led by Mark Veenstra, a project manager in Public Works, construction began last summer with Paul Culver Construction, the same contractor who renovated the Dickerson Recreation Complex.
The park’s namesake, Daisy Stocking, is not just a name on a sign. Her inspiring story as one of the city’s foremost humanitarians and medical practitioners is told throughout the park, starting with two 15-foot-tall sculptures that greet visitors at the entrance and subtle silhouette images of a nurse adorning pavilions, picnic tables, and signage. A timeline of her life and profound impact on the community is prominently featured along a seatwall, inviting parkgoers to learn and reflect.
Who was Daisy Hardy Stocking?
Born in Florence, South Carolina, on October 24, 1888, Daisy Hardy came to Daytona Beach in 1916 at Mary McLeod Bethune's behest. Having trained as a registered nurse in New York, Hardy
supervised McLeod Hospital on the campus of Daytona Educational and Industrial Institute (now Bethune-Cookman University) from 1916 to 1918.
Contributions:
*She organized the Volusia County Tuberculosis Association
*She served as a volunteer nurse for Girl Scout camps and led the Girl Scout program for more than 15 years
*For 22 years, she chaired the board of directors of Sara Hunt Orphanage, which flourished from 1924 to 1970
*During World War II, she chaired the Negro Division War Bond Drive and served as nurse-in-charge of the first aid station
*She served on the board of directors of the Community Chest Fund and United Fund
*In 1963, the Chicago Committee of 100 presented her with the Good American Award to honor her decades of service to humanity
*In 1964, she was inducted into the Methodist Hall of Fame in philanthropy, and in that same year, the National Council of Negro Women named her
Woman of the Year
*In 1967, Daisy Stocking was named the local Civitan Senior Citizen of the Year
*In 1971, three years after her death, the Daytona Beach City Commission dedicated Daisy T. Stocking Park in her honor
