Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

Participatory Budgeting: What would you do with 2.4 million for your community? If you've been to Belmont Park, you probably know it’s home to a dragon.  What you might not know is that all the features in that park, dragons included, were suggested and selected by Durham residents. Every two years, residents are invited to submit ideas for new permanent structures. These ideas are reviewed for feasibility, shaped into solid proposals, and then the public votes on which projects to build. The process is called Participatory Budgeting, and you can see the winning projects from previous years at www.pbdurham.org.   Several recent park features were created through the PB process, including the pump bike track in Belmont Park and the ADA accessible playground in Drew Granby Park.   PB Cycle III is expecting $2.4 million in funding and the Budget department has started collecting ideas. In other words, now is the time to suggest additions to your local parks, as well...

  This year, consider celebrating the holidays by working with DPR's philanthropic partner, the Durham Parks Foundation to give the gift of play. The Parks Foundation is working on something special with us to ensure all children, regardless of ability, have access to fun and safer parks for all. In 2022, the Parks Foundation donated $80,000 for an accessible playground surface at Merrick-Moore Park. This upgrade is recognized as the most universally accessible playground surface for all abilities while ensuring safety as well. Looking forward to 2023, the Parks Foundation wants to expand inclusive play options at more Durham parks and they need your help. To learn more about the Foundation, make a contribution, or to find out how you can transform your parks to be even more fun, vibrant, and welcoming visit durhamparksfoundation.com , email durhamparksfoundation@gmail.com or make your tax-deductible donation to them HERE .

It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Holiday Event Season! This December, Durham Parks and Recreation will host a series of festive and fun Holiday events. Whether you want to visit Santa with your canine pal, cozy up and catch a movie, dance and dine the night away, or watch festive floats in the Durham Holiday Parade, we’ve got something for everyone! Holiday Card Creations Cards are a traditional way to spread joy during the holidays. We will provide the materials for you to make holiday cards for your friends and family. Thursday, December 1, 2022 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. I.R. Holmes, Sr. Recreation Center 2000 S Alston Avenue Registration required. City Resident $1.50 | Non City Resident $6.50 Santa Paws Join us for an evening of holiday fun with your canine friends. You and your pooch pal can take photos with Santa, participate in the canine ugly sweater contest, shop at the Holiday “Pup-Up” Market, and donate items in the canine food and toy drive. Friday,...

It's Fall, y'all, and we're so excited to invite you to enjoy all of what this season have to offer at our upcoming events and programs. No matter what you love about this season, from the crisp and cozy, to the creepy and costumed, we've got something for you and your whole family. We've got some seasonal highlights below, but check out our online calendar for all upcoming events, registration info, and details! Fall Colors Sunset Paddle Enjoy the fall colors of the trees along Lake Michie while paddling canoes and kayaks with DPR staff. We will provide the equipment, you bring weather-appropriate clothes and wear closed-toe shoes.  Friday, October 14 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Lake Michie Park and Marina (Boating Area) 2802 Bahama Road Bahama, NC 27503 Registration required.* City Resident $8 | Non City Resident $13 Youth under 16 must be accompanied by a registered adult. Fright Night It's the most frightening time of the year! All ghosts, witches, and monsters alike a...

By: Mal Atkinson, Resource Coordinator Hillside Park received a little extra love and care from two local organizations! On Saturday July 9, Climate Reality - Durham Chapter, coordinated by Rachel Owens and Dick’s Sporting Goods (New Hope Commons store), coordinated by Taariq Branch, spent the morning cleaning the park. Ten volunteers donated nearly 20 hours of their time serving Durham Parks and Recreation. The baseball field, pool, playground, picnic shelter areas, and the basketball courts were all cleaned by the volunteers resulting in 10 bags of trash being removed from the park. Our Adopt-a-Park/Trail program is designed to encourage the community to work hands-on to help keep our parks and trails clean and attractive. We have 65 parks in our park system and over 20 miles of trail available for adoption. Any civic-minded individual, group or organization can adopt a park or portion of a trail. If you are a Garden club, corporation, Scout group, student organization, social c...

By Caitlin Avinger, Recreation Coordinator for Cultural Heritage Programs Picture this - it’s a beautiful North Carolina summer day with blue skies, low humidity and birds chirping! Where do you want to spend it!? How about at West Point on the Eno! After all, people have enjoyed relaxing and playing there for centuries! West Point on the Eno, located at 5101 N Roxboro Street, has served as a gathering place for recreation and relaxation since the 1780s, when the Mill was founded, all the way up to today. During the West Point Mill’s heyday in the 1800s, people would bring their corn or wheat to be processed into flour or cornmeal. While they waited, they would enjoy a nice swim in the mill pond or catch up with friends over a picnic while children played games. In the early to mid-twentieth century, young folks would drive out to West Point for dances, camping trips, and for a scenic getaway from the quickly growing City of Durham. Today, West Point on the Eno has been a park for over...

Now is your chance to step up to the plate and hit a grand slam with Durham Park and Recreation's Fall 2022 athletics leagues and offerings! From Adult Basketball and Durham Girls Soccer to Co-Rec Softball and Tennis Lessons, participants of all ages are in for a season of fun! Don't sit on the bench - registration is in full swing! Here's everything you need to know for all things Athletics in the upcoming season... Adult Softball (Co-Rec & Men's) : Swing batter, batter swing! Join us for the adult softball league, playing this August through October. Men's and Co-Rec Divisions are available for ages 17 and up. Adult and Youth Tennis Lessons/Leagues : Whether you're learning how to swing a racquet or just playing for fun, we have plenty of opportunity to play tennis for both youth and adults this Fall! Adult Basketball : You got game? Join the Winter League, participate in the open gym or join fellow Mature Adults on the court. All skill levels are welcome ...

Attention Durham trail lovers! We’re excited to share the latest information on three trails – R. Kelly Bryant Bridge Trail, Third Fork Creek Extension Trail, and Downtown Durham Rail Trail - currently in design that we hope to open by 2025 and will add almost seven more miles to the City’s current 31-miles of greenway trail network. Visit our website for more information about Durham's existing greenways and trails. The R. Kelly Bryant Bridge Trail is an approximately three-mile trail planned for southeastern/eastern Durham. The southern termini is the intersection of Dakota Street and NC/55 Alston Avenue and the northern termini is Drew/Granby Park on Drew Street. The Trail will connect and provide safe transportation and recreation between the existing Rocky Creek Greenway, Elmira Park, N.C. Central University, Burton Park, the McDougald Terrace neighborhood, Burton Elementary School, the R. Kelly Bryant Pedestrian Bridge over NC 147, E. Main Street, Angier Avenue, the Eastway...