Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

With the holiday season upon us, the fun of making gingerbread houses to display (and then eat) is a popular activity for all ages during this time of year. But it's not every day you get to see a Gingerbread Park! The Gercke family, previous Durham residents, found inspiration in our very own Duke Park Playground to build a beautiful and delicious structure out of gingerbread! Emily Gercke and her family of three lived in Durham for almost one year. They are originally from Virginia but moved to Durham following four years in Canada. While they loved their time in Durham, their job has caused them to move around on a frequent basis. Check out our exclusive interview with Emily about their Duke Park Playground Gingerbread house below... What was your inspiration for creating the Duke Park Playground out of gingerbread? Every year around the holidays, we pick a structure that was somehow meaningful to us during the past year and pay homage to it in gingerbread. We'...

It’s official! For the third time, Durham Parks and Recreation is among elite parks and recreation agencies across the country that have earned accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). This distinguished accomplishment was awarded during the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. We were first accredited on October 14, 2008 and became reaccredited on October 7, 2013. This past spring, CAPRA visited DPR to evaluate our agency based on 151 compliance standards including the overall quality of operation, management and service to the community. This mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services. The City of Durham Parks and Recreation Department met all of the 151 national standards and is 1 among 12 accredited agencies in North ...

You and your canine companion are invited to a night of holiday festivities at Santa Paws 2018! Stop by the Durham Armory, located at 212 Foster Street, on Friday, December 14 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for free activities and attractions! From a chance to meet Santa to a canine ugly sweater contest, this is an event you and your furry friend won't want to miss! Here's a sneak peek at what you'll enjoy at Santa Paws 2018: Pictures with Santa  Canine Ugly Sweater Contest  Canine Food and Toy Drive to help support the APS of Durham  Free raffle for all patrons  The Holiday Pet Market  Arts and crafts for children  Food and beverages by some of Durham’s favorite vendors  Classic holiday music and movies for all to enjoy  Admission and pictures with Santa are free, but don’t forget to help out and bring donations for the Animal Protection Society of Durham. Drive donations will be accepted the day of, but can be dropped off prior to Sant...

Don't miss out! Grab the latest copy of the January - May 2019 Play More Guide today! We've 67 pages of activities that the whole family can enjoy. From Kite Fest and Builders Academy to the Seasonal Foraging Hike and Lumberjack Challenge, the Play More Guide is the perfect resource to read about everything we have to offer in the next few months. Interested in a digital copy? Click here to check out the Play More Guide online. Registration for all January - May 2018 activities officially opened up on Saturday, December 1, 2018. If you have an activity in your wish list, such as swim lessons for your kids or spring adult softball for your husband, now is the time to register! Activity spots fill up very fast! What is the Play More Guide? Play More is a guide to creative and challenging recreation choices in Durham and is produced by Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR). Three editions are published throughout the year - June-August, September-December, and January-May. Eac...