MacNaughton Park a small gem on Exeter’s main street

Its most popular use may be that people drive by and look — but that’s their first mistake. Exeter’s MacNaughton Park, a labour of love for a community, is a place anyone would love to stop and visit.

It was in the 1980s when the local Lions Club pitched the idea of turning a simple flat parkland located on Hwy 4, north of the downtown core, into a beautifully landscaped area for recreation or relaxation. 

Once the plan was accepted, a landscape architect was consulted and a plan completed. Like a large nursery, MacNaughton Park is a showplace for horticulturists. The park is comprised of a number of display gardens. Brick walkways, bearing the names of supporters, wend their way through the picturesque design. A gazebo, the focal point from the highway is a quiet place to sit and read a book or just relax, while an arbour offers another intimate area in which to sit and take in the lovely colours.