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Home My Public Portal About04-19-2022 Minutes PRB Regular Meeting 101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-732-1270 | www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MINUTES | 1 of 3 Minutes PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD Remote regular meeting 7 p.m. April 19, 2022 Virtual meeting via YouTube Live Town of Hillsborough YouTube channel Present: Chair Jesse Mowles-Aring, Vice Chair Cole Kenworthy, Carl Cuthbertson, Commissioner Robb English (ex officio), Chelsea Gailey, Wendy Kuhn, Alyse Polly and Richard von Furstenberg Absent: James Pattison Staff: Public Space and Sustainability Manager Stephanie Trueblood 1. Call to order and confirmation of quorum Chair Jesse Mowles-Aring called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Public Space and Sustainability Manager Stephanie Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. 2. Agenda changes and approval There were no changes. Motion: Member Richard von Furstenberg moved to approve the agenda as presented. Vice Chair Cole Kenworthy seconded. Vote: 7-0. Ayes: Members Carl Cuthbertson, Chelsea Gailey, Kenworthy, Wendy Kuhn, Mowles-Aring, Alyse Polly and von Furstenberg. Absent: James Pattison. 3. Minutes review and approval Minutes from regular meeting on March 15, 2022 The minutes were not prepared in time for this meeting. 4. Discussion items A. Cates Creek Park skate spot planning: map update Trueblood said the conversation could be fluid. She listed it in three parts to be sure that these three areas were covered. Trueblood shared some draft updates she had made to the Cates Creek Park Master Plan’s recommendation section which noted the field could incorporate a dog park in the future. She also shared that she had updated the map to note where the playground, restrooms, stormwater control, native grasses and pollinator garden are located. The board was interested in a dog park being built in Cates Creek Park in the future. There was brief discussion that the dog park could be located adjacent to the current field where there is some understory growth. The area designated for a skate spot is 6,000 square feet. PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MINUTES | 2 of 3 Motion: von Furstenberg moved to approve the updates to the Cates Creek Park Master Plan. Kenworthy seconded. Vote: 7-0. Ayes: Members Cuthbertson, Gailey, Kenworthy, Kuhn, Mowles-Aring, Polly and von Furstenberg. Absent: Pattison. B. Skate Spot support and advocacy Trueblood clarified that this discussion item was for the Cates Creek skate spot location. English and Trueblood explained the draft budget would be available in the agenda packet for budget meetings. English said some people have emailed the mayor and commissioners in support of a skate spot. Email is a good way to reach the board and is public record. The public can also speak at board meetings to request the design funds for the skate park in FY23. Hillsborough residents were admitted to the virtual meeting to ask questions. Trueblood explained that the design budget request was for $20,000. Also, other entities are more likely to respond to a request to help with construction costs for a skate park rather than the design costs. Private or corporate sponsorship may be a possibility but would have to be decided by the board. It may take more than a year to design a skate spot with input from skaters. The board and interested community members discussed raising awareness of the budget request for the skate park to raise support for moving forward with the skate spot design funding in FY23. C. Future skate spot planning Trueblood asked the board to continue to think about others places they want skate spots in town to be built eventually. There was brief discussion about what teens have requested in the way of teen hangout areas. Trueblood said the Exchange Club Park Master Plan listed things that teens were interested in. The list included tables for homework groups, hammocks, places to nap, places to play games, Wi-Fi signal, places to plug in phones to recharge, swings for all ages and abilities, gardens and shaded picnic areas. English said a skate spot would make sense on the train station property because the land is owned by the town and at Fairview Park with a partnership with Orange County. Along with a skate spot at Cates Creek Park, this would provide a skate spot in southern, central and northern town locations. Trueblood said she did not need an in-depth discussion about other spots tonight but wanted to make those interested in skate parks aware that other places were possible in the future. Mowles-Aring suggested sharing information and asking for feedback using the engagement that they plan to do for support of the design funds. 5. Parks and recreation-related reports A. Board of Commissioners English summarized recent board meetings. See the meeting summaries under News on the town website. B. Planning Board PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MINUTES | 3 of 3 Polly reported that there was ongoing discussion of increasing density of housing while keeping Hillsborough’s small-town feel. C. Intergovernmental Parks Work Group Trueblood reported the group met earlier in April and discussed collaboration. There may be a Parks and Recreation summit meeting in the fall that would include Orange County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Mebane and Hillsborough. 6. Park steward reports Board members reported on the conditions of the parks for which they serve as stewards. Trueblood noted any small repairs that needed attention and gave brief reports on small repairs that had been made since the previous meeting. 7. Staff updates Trueblood reported that: • Rotten boards will be repaired on Riverwalk bridge. • Water fountains are being repaired in parks. • Nutell oaks were planted in Gold Park in memory of Liz Waters, and planters downtown are planted. • Upcoming events include Occaneechi Village replica rededication, Handmade Parade and Handmade Market. • A Kentucky coffeetree grove has been identified on Riverwalk and chosen as the Tree Board’s Treasure Tree for 2022. • She’d like the town to consider Ridgeway as the name for the future greenway connection to the train station and Collins Ridge. • In-person meetings of appointed boards will resume in May. • A pump will be replaced in the storage room at Cates Creek Park that should help with plumbing in the restrooms. 8. Adjournment Motion: von Furstenberg moved to adjourn at 8:59 p.m. Kuhn seconded. Trueblood called the roll for voting. Vote: 7-0. Ayes: Members Cuthbertson, Gailey, Kenworthy, Kuhn, Mowles-Aring, Polly and von Furstenberg. Nays: None. Absent: Pattison. Respectfully submitted, Stephanie Trueblood Public Space and Sustainability Manager Staff support to the Parks and Recreation Board Approved: