It’s National Parks and Recreation Month, and many residents are taking advantage of local parks systems and their amenities during the summer. In Chapel Hill, residents may soon be able to beat the heat as plans for an upcoming splash pad progress.
Last year, Chapel Hill residents filed a petition to the town council asking for a splash pad, which would provide families an accessible and safe place to play. Splash pads are non-slip surfaces in parks with different nozzle features that spray water. Petition organizers said installing one would increase focus on the town’s extracurricular activities and make Chapel Hill more family-friendly.
In September, the town’s Parks, Greenways, and Recreation Commission voted unanimously in favor of a splash pad — officially starting the process of making one.
The City of Mebane opened a splash pad in its Mebane Community park in 2019. (Photo via City of Mebane.)
Mayor Pam Hemminger said since then, Chapel Hill staff have been exploring designs and locations while a feasibility study is completed.
“We’ve been researching which park facility it would fit best into,” Hemminger said to 97.9 The Hill. “So we’ve about finished up the feasibility study and hopefully they’re coming forward to council with some options which council will debate on what to do. Council did approve spending some [American Rescue Plan Act] dollars now to do a few things, to move us forward in other areas. So, we still have work to do on splash pad [and] on inclusive playground.”
Town council meetings won’t resume until September. Until then, the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation system offers a wide variety of parkland and greenways for residents to spend time outdoors.
Chapel Hill recently launched an interactive map which shows parkland, open spaces, greenways and bicycle facilities around town. The tool also breaks down what amenities are available at specific park locations.
A full view of Chapel Hill’s parks, as well as school property, protected forests and university land. (Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.)
Hemminger mentioned some of her favorite parks that people can visit, including one near Southern Village.
“You have Southern Community Park with the rectangular [athletic] fields, a big pavilion for picnics and for people to have gatherings under that as well, and a walking trail back through there that’s really wonderful,” she said. “We have some smaller parks and the community center park has the wonderful big playground and the community center itself, but it also is the start of two different Greenways. You can park there or ride bikes over there and go either direction of the Bolin Creek Trail or over to the trail that goes up to the Forest Theater.”
For more information about Chapel Hill’s Parks and Recreation department and facilities, visit the town’s website.
Featured image via City of Mebane
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