HomeMy Public PortalAbout08-21-2018 Minutes PRB Regular
Minutes
Parks and Recreation Board
7 p.m. Aug. 21, 2018
Financial Services Conference Room, 105 E. Corbin St.
Present: Chair Robb English, Vice Chair Todd Stabley, Kate Albrecht, Board of
Commissioners representative Mark Bell (ex officio), Ashley Campbell, Annie
Jarabek, Noah Mace, Chris Wehrman (Planning Board representative), and Kim
Woodell
Absent: Rebecca Swartz
Staff: Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood
Guests: Spencer Parris
Item 1: Call meeting to order; confirm presence of a quorum
Chair Robb English called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Public Space Manager Stephanie
Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum.
Item 2: Consideration of changes or adjustments to the agenda
There was none.
Item 3: Approval of minutes from July 17, 2018, meeting
Motion: Vice Chair Todd Stabley moved approval of the minutes as presented. Board
Member Chris Wehrman seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
Changes: None
Item 4: Review Final Cates Creek Park master plan
There was a suggestion to include considering opportunities for educational partnerships.
Motion: Board Member Kim Woodell moved to adopt the master plan with minor edits.
Board Member Kate Albrecht seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
Trueblood noted that Hillsborough Heights would be the next park this board would create a
master plan for.
Item 5: Planning and preparation for September joint meeting with parks advisory boards
The board agreed on topics and facilitators for roundtable discussions:
• Needs assessment and data sharing — Albrecht and Wehrman
• Stewardship/conservation — Board Member Annie Jarbek and Woodell
• Community engagement — Board Member Noah Mace and Stabley
• Collaboration and funding partnerships — Commissioner Mark Bell, Board Member
Ashley Campbell and English
• Multimodal trail connecting Hillsborough to Carrboro — David Stancil, director of the
Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation
Item 6: Parks and Recreation-related reports
A. Board of Commissioners — Bell gave no report.
B. Planning Board — Wehrman reported that the Planning Board had given
recommendations about the design of an ABC store on Oakdale Drive and that staff was
still working on the details of a loading zone and on -street parking for the Colonial Inn
renovation project.
C. Orange County Parks and Recreation Council — Jarabek reported that the council did
not meet in July or August. She reported that the theme for the next Orange County
photography contest is farms, parks and trails.
D. Intergovernmental Parks Work Group — There was no update. Next meeting will be in
October.
Item 7: Park steward reports
A. Gold Park — Jarabek reported the park looks good.
B. Gold Park dog park — Trueblood said a gate was fixed.
C. Cates Creek Park — Albrecht said there are no issues with the park.
D. Murray Street Park — Campbell said the park looks nice with fresh mulch.
E. Kings Highway Park — Stabley reported some trash is in the park and there is still no life
preserver. Trueblood said she is working with the town’s safety committee to get
another life preserver in place.
F. Hillsborough Heights Park — Woodell reported the grass needs to be cut. Trueblood
said it would be done this week.
G. Turnip Patch Park — Trueblood reported that an Eagle Scout is working on creating a
chalk board for this park. She also noted that a picnic table would be installed.
H. Riverwalk — Several members said the greenway looks good. Stabley said he noticed
some pooling of water on the greenway.
Item 8: Staff updates
Trueblood reported that:
• The West Hillsborough Sidewalk Connections Project is coming along.
• A kiosk has been added to Cates Creek Park to include information about reservations.
• All of the playgrounds have received fresh mulch.
• She is getting estimates for the Kings Highway Park parking lot improvements.
• Erosion control at Cates Creek Park is another project that will be coming up.
• The interpretive signage committee is working on developing two signs: one for the bee
hotel and pollinator garden and another for the Old Town Cemetery.
• A kiosk for Gold Park will soon be installed with a map and a community bulletin board.
• The town’s Arbor Day celebration will be a sourwood tree planting at 10 a.m. Oct. 4 near
the pollinator garden in Gold Park.
Trueblood invited a boy in the audience to share an idea with the board that he had shared
with her before the meeting. The boy, Spencer Parris, said he is interested in installing a
handicapped-accessible swing at Gold Park or Cates Creek Park. He did not know how much
such a swing would cost and what materials would be needed.
Trueblood said she had explained to Parris over email that the clearance requirements are
different for an accessible swing. Both parks were built at the edge of clearance. She does not
think there is room at Cates Creek Park, and she is not sure whether the space at Gold Park
could accommodate an accessible swing. As part of her homework, she has to figure out what
accessibility clearances are at Gold Park. Also, an accessible swing has to be installed in a
different bay because every type of swing has to be in a bay only with that type of swing. The
boy said his sister has cerebral palsy, and he would like a swing for her.
Trueblood reiterated there may be room at Gold Park but probably not at Cates Creek Park. She
offered to get back to the Parris family and the Parks and Recreation Board with more
information. She also explained that the accessible swing must be purchased from the same
manufacturer as the swing set to keep the warranty valid on the equipment.
Item 9: Adjournment
Motion: Campbell moved to adjourn at 8:59 p.m. Woodell seconded.
Vote: Unanimous