Facilities

The slide at Hillside Park Playground has been removed due to damage. A full playground replacement is being planned for the future. We will keep the public updated on its progress!

Hillside Park

Hillside Park offers picnic shelters, a playground, baseball/softball fields, basketball courts, and more! The park also includes an outdoor pool and sprayground that are open during the summer months. Hillside Park is just a short walk to the W.D. Hill Recreation Center.

Picnic Shelter

Visit the picnic shelter rentals page for complete details on renting the shelters at Hillside Park.

Athletic Rentals

Visit the athletic rentals page for complete details on renting a field or court at Hillside Park.

Hillside Park Basketball Courts & Public Art

In February 2019, FILA USA and the Tamia and Grant Hill Foundation approached the Durham Parks Foundation and Durham Parks and Recreation about funding the complete refurbishment of the basketball courts at Hillside Park. The project included the commission of a mural by artist Sarahlaine Calva, repairs to the court surface, landscaping improvements, new goals, and an amazing design that "rifs" on the City of Durham Flag.

Park History

As recorded in Open Durham, an online archive of Durham’s architectural history, Hillside Park has played an important place in the history of Durham.

In 1922, the Whitted school, originally named Hillside Park High School, was built as one of the first schools for African-Americans in a time where racial segregation dominated. On the other end of the park, the Algonquin Tennis Club was an African-American institution where a young Arthur Ashe and a visiting Althea Gibson once played.

Today, W.D. Hill is a short bike ride from downtown, and connects to Hillside Park which boasts a Futsal court, playground, basketball courts, baseball fields, picnic tables, a shelter, a sprayground, and more.