Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

                                          It's our favorite time of the year! Our City Lakes are now officially open! Little River and Lake Michie opened to the public Friday, March 10, and will remain open through Monday, November 6, 2023. Lake hours are from 6:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The lakes will also be open on the following holidays: Good Friday Easter Sunday Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day DPR's City Lakes are managed by our Outdoor Recreation unit. They offer outdoor recreation and environmental education programs for all ages. From kayaking programs to nature hikes, cave exploration to lunar exploration, and moonlight geo paddles to overnight camping experiences, we have a multitude of opportunities for you and your friends and family to enjoy the outdoors together. The majority of our programs do not require prio...

If you’re reading this, no matter what your relationship to trails may be (if you don’t already know), you’re probably wondering what all of the fuss about Year of the Trail is. The closing paragraph of the Year of the Trail Anthem above sums it up eloquently: “We need trails. To move, to play, to discover. To enjoy, sustain, and to champion…” That is exactly what all of the fuss is. Trails are a critical element in the fabric of North Carolina. Trails connect one place to another, providing a link, a way to get around. They provide a place for fellowship and community, connecting people to each other. Trails also provide a connection to one’s self through physical activity – ever heard someone say they had a “spiritual experience” after an exceptionally challenging hike, run, ride, or other activity? There’s something to all of that and you don’t need to spend hours out on a trail to reap the benefits of that connection. Physical activity, being outside, connected, and moving on trail...

2023 is Year of the Trail in the Great Trails State, but how did we settle on North Carolina as “The Great Trails State” anyways? As with most anything, there is a bit of historical significance behind it all.  From the coast to the mountains, North Carolina stretches about 500 miles, east to west, and about a third of that distance north to south at the widest point. Over a hundred years ago, when people started traveling by car, the roads were absolutely terrible – it takes some imagination to fully understand this, but the roads of those days are nothing at all like the roads we imagine now and even the most pot-hole filled, rutted out gravel road one could find would be an interstate compared to back then. In fact, the roads in NC were the worst in the entire country at that point. Travel was treacherous. Cars struggled to get anywhere efficiently and effectively, often getting stuck in mud or winding up on roads that didn’t really offer a smooth connection to anywhere else as ...

Durham Parks and Recreation(DPR) joins communities across North Carolina in celebrating the 2023 Year of the Trail , a statewide campaign inviting every North Carolinian to get outside onto the trails, greenways, and blueways that stretch across the state. Each month DPR will highlight a trail and provide Durham residents with a trail focus self-guided activity. Residents are encouraged to visit the monthly Trail Spotlight and complete a self-guided activity and photo challenge for a chance to win a DPR Play More Pack! We’ll also share activities, programs, and events taking place on DPR trails all year long to make it easy and fun for residents to experience our trail network. January Trail Spotlight: Sandy Creek Park Trail Loop Sandy Creek Park,  is a small but productive birding location. Located on the site of a long-abandoned sewage treatment plant, the 102-acre tract was being offered for sale in the early 1990s. It became a City of Durham park in 1997 following its identi...

The City of Durham Department of Parks and Recreation broke ground this month on a new inclusive playground in East Durham’s Merrick-Moore Park, thanks to a pledge of $80,000 from the Durham Parks Foundation. The Durham Parks Foundation , a local nonprofit that raises funds for Durham Parks and Recreation projects, has facilitated $80,000 in charitable donations for the new Merrick-Moore Park playground. The funding will go toward a poured-in-place surface, a durable, solid rubber material that ensures park-goers of all ages and abilities can enjoy playground amenities. “I'm grateful for the leadership of the Durham Parks Foundation and how united our two organizations are when it comes to improving universal access to Durham’s parks and playgrounds,” said Wade Walcutt, director of Durham Parks and Recreation. “The Durham Parks Foundation’s gift of $80,000 for this accessible playground is historic in two ways: It's the largest gift to date to DPR, and it's our first in...

  2023 NC Year of the Trail Get outdoors in the new year: 2023 is Year of the Trail in North Carolina. What exactly is Year of the Trail ? Year of the Trail is the largest statewide celebration of trails and outdoor recreation in North Carolina history. Trails are the backbone of our state’s growing $28 billion outdoor recreation economy. Known as the “ Great Trails State ,” North Carolina has a vast network of trails, greenways, and blueways which showcase our diverse landscapes . In Durham, Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) maintains over 30 miles of multi-use trails and greenways. DPR ’s multi-use trails are free and accessible to the community and provide excellent opportunities for residents to recreate and exercise.   The Year of the Trail campaign will reach communities across the state with the message of how and where to experience trails that showcase North Carolina’s beautiful landscapes, provide healthy recreation, and stimulate local economies. The NC Gene...

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 .