THE VOLLIS SIMPSON W HI R LIG IG PA R K
28
WBM december 2020
has been an inspiration
FOR CITIES ACROSS THE NATION.
O
THER places in the U.S. have
noticed the success of the whirl-igig
park as an engine to drive
cultural and economic progress.
The idea that Simpson’s art might
have slipped into obscurity without assistance from
the Internet has to at least be a partial explanation
for why Wilson is working to rebrand itself as a hub
of technology, creativity and innovation networking.
To support inclusion efforts and remote learning,
the community offers a free Wi-Fi network, Green-light
Community Broadband, which includes
30 public access points, along with a flexible cell-phone
plan starting at $10/month. This is the back-bone
of the vision Wilson has adopted, based on this
free fiber optic network that is available to college
campuses, businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs.
Wilson is also in a strategic position at the crux of
I-95 and the new I-795 corridor, making it a conve-nient
place to stop if traveling northward. From
Wilmington, it is a relatively stress- and traffic-free
drive that only takes about 90 minutes. Wilson
is also home to an Amtrak hub, which makes it
possible to park there and travel to major cities such
as Washington, D.C. and New York.
Kinetic sculptures catch the breeze at Vollis Simp-son
Whirligig Park. Simpson used salvaged parts
and supplies from his machinery repair shop and
house-moving business to build his whirligigs.