DPNA Meeting Minutes

Final Session to Discuss Duke Park Renovations
Feb. 20, 2003

Board Members Present: Carol Donin (President), Andrew Preiss (Vice President), Esther Bent (Treasurer), Rob Dilworth (Secretary), Barry Ragin (At-Large Member)

Neighbors Present: Peter Bent, Laura Hall, Frank Hyman, Nancy Nye

***IMPORTANT NOTE: This was the final special meeting to discuss the first phase of proposed renovations to Duke Park. DPNA's board will make a recommendation to William Royston
of Durham's Department of Parks and Recreation on Thursday, 2/27/03, about the renovation plans.

1. Andrew Preiss's Update on Park Renovation
Andrew talked to William Royston on 2/19/03 about the following:

*Loop. Royston seems to be in favor of closing the loop to traffic. There would probably be a "bollard" at the entrance to the loop that would be similar to the bollard at the entrance to the
greenway on West Knox near Ruffin. [Definition of "bollard": "A series of short posts set at intervals to delimit an area or to exclude vehicles."] At this stage, Royston doesn't think closing
the loop would be as expensive as he initially thought. He still plans to try to repair problems in the loop, though he's uncertain whether this will mean repaving. The loop would still be ten-feet
wide, and it could be used by pedestrians, rollerskaters, bikers, etc. If a group needed to drive on the loop (for instance, to set up a picnic at the shelter), it could get the key to the bollard from the park's caretaker.

*Pool house. Royston is still in favor of fixing the bathrooms of the pool house.

*Park hours. Royston is positive about the idea of keeping the park open at night and having waist-high lighting within the park, but these are issues that would be considered at a later date.

*Skateboard area. Royston said that he visited Duke Park again to consider the possibility of developing the "concrete slab" in the northern portion of the park as the skateboard area. He doesn't think this is feasible: The area is too close to the pool and sinkhole problems. Until these major problems are resolved (or at least until the city is certain how they'll be resolved), the area in the vicinity of the concrete slab can't be significantly developed. For instance, if the stream bed were restored at some point, it would probably have a serious impact on anything in this part of the park. Therefore, according to Royston, the current handball court is the best option for a skateboard area.

2. Comments and Queries about Park Renovation
*On 2/20/03, Harold Scroggs posted an e-mail to the DPNA's listserv, asking that his preferences be noted at the meeting: He's opposed to a skateboard area within Duke Park, and he's opposed to keeping the park open at night. He's in favor of "all other items to be done." He thinks "the homes that face or back up to the park should be the ones to make the decision on the skateboard park, not the ones that do not live in the immediate area [and that] do not or would not have to put up with the noise, traffic, etc. this will generate."

*Barry Ragin expressed concern about the amount of money budgeted for playground equipment. Andrew Preiss responded that a lot of the money is budgeted for nonequipment
items—such as grating, construction, water fountains, etc. When Royston provides the final proposal for the playground area, we could try to redirect some of the money if the amount of
playground equipment seems excessive. Andrew's intimation is that the budget for the playground equipment is probably reasonable.

*Esther Bent said she was worried that the neighborhood would equivocate too long and that, in the end, we wouldn't get any renovations.

*Barry Ragin stated that closing the loop might increase parking on neighborhood streets, esp. Acadia. Andrew Preiss replied that we could request that the city have only park-side parking on W. Knox and on Acadia, so that people wouldn't park in front of homes. Barry also stated that he was concerned that closing the loop would make it more difficult for picnickers to bring coolers etc. into the park.

*Nancy Nye queried about the possibility of stream restoration. Barry Ragin said that he is still looking for help from Jim Crawford to see whether the state can provide some funding. He's also still interested in Steve Hiltner's idea of converting the pool into a stormwater pond. Andrew Preiss said that he believes Royston is still opposed to the idea of converting the pool into a pond.

*Laura Hall said that she thinks the main reason people are against the skateboard area is that it might increase the noise level. Andrew Preiss reiterated Royston's assertion at last week's DPNA meeting that the noise generated by the skateboard area would be less than the noise generated playground area. Various attendees discussed possible noise reduction methods but
also expressed concern about creating visual barriers around the skateboard area.

*Nancy Nye stated that her preference would be to spend less money on playground equipment and more money on landscaping and natural features within the park.

*Andrew Preiss said that he would push Royston about having an electrical outlet in the park, though Royston seemed negative about this at last week's meeting.

 

Minutes of Special Session to Discuss Duke Park Renovations Feb. 13, 2003