4. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PARAB)

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at 6:00pm Location: Knight Farm Community Park Shelter Meeting Agenda: 1. Introduction – Determination of Quorum a. Board Attendees: Ryan Ford (Chair), Linda Sheppard, Bridgett Perry, Malica Evans, Patti Dukes, Josh Rudy b. Staff Attendees: Katy Keller (Director), Maura Reed (Recreation Coordinator) c. Guests: Liz Cullington, Ylce Irizarry (Vineyards resident that was out walking) 2. Roll Call 3. Public Input 4. Discussion: a. Directors Update – Kiwanis Park Swingset i. Katy briefly updated the PARAB members that the swings had been ordered at Kiwanis Park and would be installed in the next couple of weeks. Pour-in-place would also be installed surrounding that area. 5. Chatham Park Mini Park Review a. Vineyards Greenway b. Katy explained that this will be accepted as the first greenway from Chatham Park in the Vineyards. Katy pointed the visual boundaries that will be Pittsboro’s and the perimeter of the pocket park. She explained that this is considered a passive park. This park has not yet been accepted by the Pittsboro Parks Department and Chatham Park is requesting feedback regarding said pocket park. If the Town accepts this particular pocket park, there would be minimal maintenance for the park. Upon further discussion, the PARAB provided feedback of what they would like to see prior to accepting this particular park: i. All rocks that are not “native” will be required to be removed. ii. Current benches at this location do not meet new park bench requirements/standards. They will need to be removed/replaced with the correct style of bench for a cohesive look throughout the parks. iii. Several members of the PARAB expressed concerns that there was a lot of poison ivy in the area that would need to be addressed. iv. There were also concerns that there was not a lot of opportunity for providing amenities on this site. There was also concern that with the location of the site,  many people wouldn’t be able to identify, and therefore utilize, this public park space. And would this be the “norm” of future pocket parks? c. After further discussion, Katy asks PARAB members to think of conditions that need to be met in order to accept the pocket park. While discussing, (insert) a resident homeowner near the pocket park walking her dog stopped by and asked that no more trees be cut down to preserve habitat for birds and pollinators. She said that there was not enough shaded area throughout the greenways and pocket parks and to please keep as many trees as possible. She was given the Parks and Recreation email address and encouraged to email that address for more information. Katy mentioned that we could reflect on any additional feedback for the parks and bring concerns or thoughts to the next meeting. 6. Questions & Comments 7. Adjournment a. Next Meeting Scheduled: June 14, 2023 b. Josh motioned for the next meeting to be on May 24th at 6:00pm located at Knight Farm Park/the pocket park. Patti second the motion. All in agreement, motion passed. Malica motioned for the meeting to adjourn. Bridget seconded the motion. Meeting adjourned.