Parks and recreation facilities would get $4.5 million and greenways and open space $2 million if the November bonds are approved by Chapel Hill voters. How the money would be spent will be determined after the town develops a new master plan for parks and recreation programs and facilities.
A consultant, Berry/Dunn, is being hired to develop a plan and steer it through public hearings and neighborhood meetings, setting priorities for the next 10-15 years. The Town Council will make the final decisions.
Chapel Hill used federal covid recovery funds to start design and planning for some projects like greenway expansion and development in preparation for possible bond funding.
The town has plenty of recreation needs, way more than funds available, so issuing bonds is a means to start the process, reducing the project list after years of treading water. The master plan will outline needs and new priorities.
Sure, more greenway trails and pickleball courts are needed as well as a splash pad for families with young children and upgrades/ improvements to existing facilities like new turf for the Homestead soccer fields or the climbing wall at the Community Center. Turf replacement is needed after ten years of play and the climbing wall is the original and in need of an upgrade.
The 2024 bond issue won’t cover all these items and others yet to be determined, so additional rec bond issue(s) are expected in coming years. They’re all expensive and construction costs surged after covid.
There are plenty of unknowns. There are new folks everywhere. City rec administrators are new, the town manager is the former police chief, the mayor is in her first term and many council members are new or nearly new. How they’ll line up on new rec projects isn’t clear. The council’s past record is cloudy, but Penny for Parks funding was a big step for smaller projects.
Voting yes for the bonds means trusting the town to make good decisions on spending the money on behalf of all citizens, but critics point to the town’s handling of the proposed Legion Park property as discouraging for park supporters.
The land was purchased from the American Legion using 2015 recreation bonds but the council later favored affordable housing over a park for the better portion of the property. They’re moving ahead on housing and removing the pond. Planning for the park is later, perhaps in the new master plan.