Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

By: Mal Atkinson, Resource Coordinator Teamwork and helping others are key tenets of TROSA’s recovery program. TROSA residents provided more than 125 volunteer hours assisting Durham Parks and Recreation with two of our annual events this year. With the return of Earth Day Celebration and the 52nd annual Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival in 2022, TROSA was instrumental in the success of the events. The volunteers weathered the heat, rain, and storms during the Bimbé Festival yet their commitment of service to others never wavered. They helped create memories for the thousands of people attending our events. Colleen Toomey, Recreation Manager with Durham Parks and Recreation wanted to share her gratitude and appreciation to the TROSA organization and the volunteers who helped with vendor setup during both Earth Day and Bimbé. She said, “They really did an amazing job, unattended, getting all of the vendors into place." Those assigned to setup worked so hard as well getting the stage s...

Dog parks can be a great resource for off-leash exercise for your canine companion, but there’s always risk in bringing unfamiliar dogs together. Following the rules of the dog park will go a long way to avoiding any incidents, but you can also keep these things in mind to help keep your dog safe at the dog park... Avoid Crowded Times As a group of dogs gets bigger, it gets more likely that there will be missed social cues or escalations leading to aggressive behavior. It’s best to avoid high traffic times at the dog park altogether. If you visit Piney Wood Dog Park, you may have another option! If you’re uncomfortable with the dogs in the main areas, consider moving to the program area. This space is free to use for people registered with the dog parks and can be a great alternative during busy times! Keep an Eye Out Always be actively watching your dog at the dog park. Keep an eye out for signs of stress such as: Whining or whimpering Holding their ears back Trying to hide Intervene...

Who's ready for a camping trip!? You don't have to go too far to experience a night under the stars and spend time living in nature! Durham Parks and Recreation offers year-round camping at the Lake Michie Recreation Area, located in Bahama at Spruce Pine Lodge and Archery Range Road. Specific driving direction can be found on Google Maps . Overlooking Lake Michie, this recreation area offers camping, boating (paved boat launch), fishing, and trail hiking. The area has 7 primitive campsites open year-round for groups and individuals. Each site has a tent pad, grill, and picnic table.  Some important things to note about these campsites: No electrical hookups are available Campers should bring water and other necessities Vehicular access to the campgrounds is limited Campsite Type Campsite Fees Group Sites Monday-Sunday (per night) City Resident: $20 Non-City Resident: $25 Individual Sites Monday-Sunday (per night) City Resident: $10 Non-City Resident: $12 Ready to reserve a sit...

By Katrina Wood, Program Assistant Durham Parks and Recreation’s Leigh Farm Park, located at 370 Leigh Farm Road, represents lives of the Leigh family as well as the sixteen individuals enslaved by the Leighs. Taken together, their history in the park spans from the 1830s on up to the 1970s. While visitors can learn about them on a park tour, they can also discover more by visiting the Leigh Cemetery. The family cemetery serves as a final resting place for patriarch Richard Stanford Leigh, his first wife Nancy Ann Carlton Leigh, and Stanford’s second wife Leathy, as well as several additional family members. The Leigh Cemetery can be reached by a trail leading from the old Ram’s Gate Road that runs in front of the Visitor’s Center, at the park kiosk. There are 25 marked headstones, yet only 15 are readable. The last burial took place in 1946, and the earliest known burial is for Nancy Ann Carlton Leigh—she died giving birth to twins in July 1861. Want to get involved and learn more? He...

This July, We Rise Up for Parks and Recreation! We’re celebrating Park and Recreation Month by highlighting all the ways the Durham community is stronger, more vibrant and more resilient because of parks and recreation. The services that park and recreation professionals provide are vital for our communities — from protecting open space and natural resources to helping fight obesity and providing activities and resources for all people. This has been especially true throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you join us in celebrating this month and reflecting on the exponential value parks and recreation brings to Durham residents! Since 1985, America has celebrated July as Park and Recreation Month. A program of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the goal is to raise awareness of the essential services that park and recreation professionals provide to communities across the U.S. NRPA encourages all people that support parks and recreation to share how parks and r...