City Council · Regular Meeting · November 6, 2025

that is in leadership in this community because I think over the years things have fallen on death he the citizens we're tired of it we're tired of it an election if this who are not going to advocate for all of our residents. We want all of our residents taken care of in this community. And this project over there on Favville Street, it may sound good, public housing, this and that. It's not working. So, I'm asking the mayor as well as the city manager and there's some other things also. How many African-Americans are

getting contracts with this job? And we'll talk about that next time. Thank you very much. We're not getting audio green lights in there. They're

not council break. >> Yeah. >> Financial structure, the overall amount of units that are coming, what's going to be on the site, uh, and you know, what are the, uh, the pros and cons? I think Jack mentioned an affordable unit.

24,000 cost of development is the cost of development. Uh and whether we go below that threshold to support an income that doesn't match or above those are the choices that we have to make but the money has come from somewhere. So therefore you have market with it to help supplement cost. I'm going to allow council member to break down the funding structure on this.

>> Yeah, thanks Mr. Mayor. So I can't I'm not sure I can break down the funding structure now although there are folks

from DHA that may be able to speak to that if there are questions. Yeah. Um but I did want to say I just pulled up a quick email. So um so the for phase one uh phase one of FA place um there will be 252 units all affordable units.

Okay. That means 30 units or 12% will be 30% AMI or lower. Mr. Snell if I'm wrong um 78 units or 31% will be up to 50% AMI.

60 units or 24% will be up to 60% AMI and 84 units or 33% will be between 61 and 80% AMI. So those that's just that's and that's the first phase as I understand but but I'm glad Mr. Snell is here who may be able to answer more of that and speak to the financing. But thank you.

Yes, >> Mr. Rist I I'm going to ask uh Mr. Rist I I'm going to ask that you are explicit in detail as much as you can uh or as

much that has been confirmed thus far. Um we I I just don't want any doubt and I think that community members have true concern and I think that it needs to be addressed before we move on. But enough of not understanding how this actually works and just going with it. So we're not going to hear those concerns and ignore it and move on.

>> So please >> Thank you. Um, first I want to address the the matter with respect to the capital stack when I'm talking about the funds that are going to be used for the financing of this project. The first one I want to mention or refer to is the $44 million that was approved for the actual issuance of bonds. This is not a direct cash contribution or a loan to Durham Housing Authority. The money, the bonds are going to be issued. The capital is going to be raised actually with respect

to the $44 million dollars. The bonds will be privately placed with City Bank. City Bank is providing that money for the construction. Those funds will be used for the construction.

These funds do not go to DHA. So that's one source of the funding for this. And the $17 million that we have requested as part of the bond fund money. This was committed as part of the of the approval for the bond funds for this project.

The $17 million will go into the project as a contribution as a loan. So, DHA will not receive these funds for any operation purposes. They will go directly into the funding of this transaction. DHA will not be involved in the day-to-day

operation and management of this property. There will be a thirdparty management company that's responsible for it. The ownership of this property shall be in the hands of Harmony Housing Gilbang. They are the guaranurs of this.

DHA will have a structurally we will be part of the managing membership that is still being negotiated but that doesn't give us any authority over the actual management of this property. It doesn't give us any authority of the financing. We are not guaranteeing anything. So this will not be a another DHA owned and operated property.

>> Thank you. Could you also differentiate uh or correct me if I'm wrong? DHA is traditionally what we know it to be as low-income concentrated housing that is dilapidated that we're trying to move

people out of. DVI is the uh arm that's responsible for the new developments that are sometimes mixed income as well such as the Joyce such as um what we just did over at the Vanguard etc. So Development Ventures Inc. is is the development arm of DHA.

On all of the transactions that we are involved in when we are doing the low-income housing tax credit transactions or other some other transactions, DVI represents DHA in those transactions. And so they are our development arm of the corporation. DHA is traditionally all of our public housing which we are moving away from to uh to the YA platform which most all of our development will be done under DVI. So there's a separate although the board

from DHA is also the board of directors from DVI they are separate legal entities. >> Gotcha. With separate responsibilities. >> Yes.

>> Okay. Um, what is the level of risk for the city in in in these projects? >> Well, the level of risk is I I would say zero for the city from the standpoint the city is not responsible for the bonds that are going to be issued on this transaction, the 44 million. The risk for the city is on the 17 million.

If we we look at it from a risk standpoint, if the project should default, that is an investment that the city has made into the to this development, it you know, under default situation, this could be funds technically we could say that that are lost, right? because of there's a default on the [snorts] transaction. But that is from a from a financial standpoint whether the city is

responsible for the bonds. The answer is there is no risk because there's no responsibility on the behalf of the city or DHA when it comes to the $44 million in bonds that are being issued for this project. >> Thank you. So, this is a very complex matter of having to get really creative in structures to uh get >> Yeah, >> I'm gonna I'm going to have them ask questions.

Uh, so it's a very complex um stack of relationships to try and get um try and help us meet this meet the mark and uh so thank you for breaking that down. I I am going we are going to take a little time just to because I don't want any confusion on this. Uh council member Freeman, go ahead. >> Thank you. I just wanted to make sure that folks were aware of when your meetings were so that they could actually I guess get some of this information because I think it's occurring at your meeting which doesn't happen here. And so just making sure they're aware when those meetings occur and how they can be involved.

>> So our committee meetings are the third week of each month and our board meetings is the fourth week. As a matter of fact, we have committee meetings next Tuesday. Wednesday. Next Wednesday.

And then the following week, we will have our board meeting. >> What what day? >> What time? >> At 4:23 Morris, which is our new office.

Okay. The meet the uh committee meeting starts at 3:30 3 and then the board meetings at 5:30. >> Okay. Thank you.

>> That was all. >> Okay. And >> 5:30 >> on the 26th. Yes.

And I'd like to add um this this has gotten a lot of eyes even beyond community members uh all the way to the state auditor's office. Just last week we took a team to Raleigh. Uh Council Member Ris joined me and um uh Mr. Manager and his uh chief

of staff as well as you Mr. um snail and your staff to uh make sure that we had a compelling argument of why we are making these >> understand that >> your phone is only responding to me when it does that today. I see. >> Um uh but just so I just want to assure everyone that even as state auditor's office has close eyes on this.

Uh it is a unique um relationship that is uh pretty innovative and we're going to move forward. We're trying to get more housing and the right type of housing at as every le at every level as we possibly can as well as uh supplemental um space commercial uh so that we can build a community and uh so there are a lot of eyes on this and uh we will get it right. I have faith in that and um but yeah I I uh appreciate you joining us last Friday as well as being here today to answer these questions. >> Sure. >> Thank you.

Okay. 16. >> Okay. Are we back on?

>> Uh we are >> we are all right. Going to go back to uh before we get too deep in the agenda. Uh the online speakers [clears throat] Oh, here we are. >> Ah, yes.

Citizens matters. So, Terrence Pster, can you hear me? Terrence Pster, Mr. Preacher is showing that he's speaking, but we cannot hear him.

>> Turn your volume up. Uh, Terrence, >> he can hear me. Okay. Uh, Mr.

Rist, one moment, please. Or, uh, or Shikina, one moment. >> Mr. Mayor, while we're waiting, the clerk has indicated that the board's commission's report is ready.

I don't know if you want to. >> Would you like to go ahead and >> Thank you, Mr. Member Prom and Mr. Mayor.

Um, we do have a nomination for the Go Triangle Board of Trustees reappointment and that's Patrick Hannah. And then the next item is the affordable housing implementation committee. Um, with the category at large, we do not have consensus. There were three votes for Lashonda Tyler, two votes for Chenica Bowman, and one vote for John Douglas.

And I was curious to know if anyone would like to change their vote. There were three votes for who? >> For Lashonda Tyler.

>> You can you can change one of my votes to cross the thresh if you would. Thank you. >> Okay. So, Lashondaanda Tyler received the nomination and the last item which is the um discovered Durham appointment has been referred back to staff.

That's my report. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Mr.

Per, can you hear us? Okay, I I'll come back. >> Could we put a Can we put a mic up to a computer? Go ahead and speak.

[clears throat] >> Uh yeah. Mr. Priest, give us one moment. We're going to uh try something uh

>> old school. All right. Uh, Mr. >> Can you hear me?

>> Are you guys able to hear me? >> Uh, yeah. >> It's going to echo. You guys able to hear me?

>> Okay, great. >> Absolutely. So, good afternoon everyone. First and foremost, I wanted to thank

the city of Durham and his council for allowing us to have the opportunity to speak today regarding the tenants rights and the recent enforced policies. Uh we understand and appreciate that these policies were created with the intention of protecting tenants from neglectful and unethical landlords often referred to of course as slumlords. Uh that is a valid and important concern and we recognize the city's efforts to address those issues. However, it is also important to acknowledge that while there are indeed some bad actors in our community, not all landlords fall into that category.

Um, many of us are responsible community-minded property owners who take pride in maintaining safe, affordable, and well-maintained uh housing for our residents. Uh the issue we'd like to raise today is that these new policies, while well intended, are written and enforced in a way that is one-sided, leaning entirely in favor of tenants without fully considering the impact on fair and responsible landlords. The reality is that if these

policies remain as they are, they will create conflict and lead to unintended consequences. They make it increasingly difficult for honest landlords to operate sustainably, to cover costs, maintain properties, and continue offering affordable rental assistance. When the scales are tipped too far in one direction, it discourages property owners from staying in the rental market altogether. And this is where we see a much larger issue, one that affects the entire city.

When landlords feel that they can no longer make a fair return or that the system is stacked against them, many will choose to sell their properties. And when that happens, these homes don't just disappear. They often end up purchased by larger outside investors and developers who have no personal connection to our community. This process fuels gentrification, not the prevention of it. It drives up property values, reduces the number of affordable rental units, and ultimately makes it harder for the very people

these policies were meant to help to find housing they can afford. The end result is that the cost of both renting and buying will rise even higher than it already is. Tenants who were meant to be protected will now face fewer housing options and higher rents. Families who hope to buy homes will be priced out of the market even further.

This cycle hurts everyone, tenants, landlords, and the community as a whole. We are here today to oppose the new tenant rights policy, not because we dismiss the importance of fair treatment for tenants, but because there are already existing systems in place, including the courts and other legal remedies that address situations where tenants experience legitimate issues with their landlords. These established processes allow for fairness, due process, and accountability on both sides. Creating additional one-sided policies only adds unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, discourages property ownership, and creates >> Thank you, Mr. Bster.

>> I'm sorry. >> Thank you. That is your time. Next is Shika Prister.

>> Yes. Thank you for having me today. I'd like to speak to you as a social worker in regards to the same policies. Um I graduated from North Carolina Central University and I am committed to helping and serving under um underserved and marginalized communities.

In my work in the mental health field, I've been tasked with helping people who are priced out of the housing market to find affordable housing. And that is a struggle. Though the state has um designated millions of dollars to programs such as TCLI, which is transitional living community supports, a lot of the people um who fall into this category are um priced out not only because they don't have the finances, but they have barriers. They have prior evictions.

They may have a criminal history. They might not make three times the rent. " and they're

not asking for a list of landlords such as myself or my colleagues who may have lived in the home and um are looking to pass that home down from generations. What they're looking for is um someone who will give them undermarket rent and in exchange for undermarket rent sometimes there are deferred maintenance issues. the house is still habitable, but there may be some delayed um repairs or delayed maintenance issues. Um and they beg for it.

They they want it because it beats homelessness. Our shelters are full. Public housing is full and it has issues of its own. So if we if we require all landlords to landlord C and D property such as an A and B property, where are these tenants going to go to? Um, I think that we are creating or accelerating gentrification by um by enforcing these policies and I'll yield. That's my time.

>> Thank you so much. Um, we heard we heard from the other that's all of our speakers, correct? Did we do all of the Yeah. All right.

Thank you so much for your comments. The next item is number Did we do number 15? You had two speakers in the room on 16. >> On 16.

All right, let's do that first. Uh, request to permanently close the entirety of Hai Lane. >> Okay, >> this is a public hearing for >> Mr. Mayor indicated that their comments while welcome today will not be part of the record uh of the public hearing and that the public hearing is has been scheduled and and broadcast for our next Monday meeting.

So that that notice was given >> when 16. Okay. Yeah. Here we go.

16. Okay. Uh Rob Emerson and Anita Scott

Neville, would you all like to speak to or you want to wait until it can be recorded? Okay. I >> We can't hear you on the uh resource. Okay.

Oh, on off button. Thank you. I'm not a tech guy. Um, I have Rob Emerson.

I'm here representing the applicant and I'm just here if there are any questions. I've not done this before at a work session, so I expect you'll want the bulk of my presentation on the 17th. >> Uh, so we will address it on the 17th. That's one I'll I'll acknowledge.

Um, normally we move all commentary to when the actual public hearing is heard. Yes, sir. >> Uh, because it was advised. I don't want to be misleading.

So, we will we have one person for 16. [snorts] >> Um, and Chris Perstein. [clears throat]

Yeah. So, just just for public record, uh, it will be a practice of hearing comments for the public hearing item on the night of that. Um, but today I'll I'll allow it. So, Miss Scott Nebles, >> thank you.

>> Thanks so much. Before I uh share my comments, I am happy to learn that it is going to be uh this item will be heard later on. Um, and so if you will receive my comments uh in light of the fact that I just learned that you're going to hear it later on. Um, I'm here uh as a member of Hay Thai Reborn and as a member of the Durham community and the Hayai community to uh express concern about the proposal for permanent cosmetic change to the historic area known as Hay Thai. Specifically, item 16 proposes permanent closure of Hay Thai Lane, an

area that lies east of Old Favville Street and adjacent to Tin City and other small residential spaces and behind the Hay Thai Heritage Center. The area that adjoins Hayai Lane and that is surrounded by old Favville Street, Merrick Street, Withers Court, Shirley Caesar Court, Tin City, and the Hay Thai Heritage Center is part of the historic fabric of Hay Thai and is in fact an area where streets, homes, and communities have already been permanently destroyed as a result of urban renewal. However, what's different is that with the urban renewal action that was announced, approved, and citizens had some knowledge about the outcome. In this case, no one that I have spoken to is aware of the creation of Hay Thai Properties LLC and their imposition of development plans until now. uh urgent factf finding done as a result of what we've learned has informed me that current property owners, business persons, and the Hatai Heritage Center

have no knowledge of this proposed action. I've also learned that North Carolina Assembly General Statute 160A-299 entitles procedure for permanently uh entitled procedure for permanently closing streets and alleys. Item A specifies that when a city proposes to permanently close any street or public alley, the council shall first adopt a resolution declaring its intent to close the street or alley and call a public hearing on the question. The resolution shall be published once a week for four successive weeks prior to the hearing.

Um, in the interest of time and since we know that it will be heard, I want to focus on that last part. has uh the resolution and your intention to have a public hearing about this been uh advertised for four successive weeks before it comes up in city council and if so when. The major concern is that

none of the stakeholders are aware of this. Understanding that at this point resoning is not a part of this proposal. Other questions are, what is the intention of Hay Thai Properties LLC in closing Hay Thai Lane? Have property owners and residents of the surrounding lots been notified?

Will the closure of Hay Thai Lane facilitate more land grab? Is this a prelude for reszoning Hay Thai? >> Thank you. Uh I'm going to ask uh Sarah if you can come up and address that.

>> Good afternoon, council members. I just wanted to remind you all that while that is general legislation, the city of Durham has special legislation that allows us to uh forego the resolution, just do our standard um notice and proceed that way. So, you do not have to have that additional step because you have special enabling legislation. >> Thank you. And I uh can't tell you what to do, but if there are folks here that

are in that in that area, I'd advise that you speak with them. Uh yeah, repres May. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

And I thank um Miss Neville for coming. I think it's important to note that the city of Durham is not requesting this. There's there's a a person who owns property there that's requesting that this this street uh be closed. So, it's really important.

This is not emanating from city hall. So, if that's out there, it it let us be factual about where this is coming from. any land owner in the city can at any time appeal to us to close a particular street or do we may not do it but they can certainly appeal to us and and this is what this is. So this is not a city plan.

This is a a private owner uh coming and requesting that the street closure. So I just wanted to put that on the record. Thank you Mr. Mayor. >> Thank you for that. I was going to state that too, but you know, communication, we're going to make sure we do more of it and and and make sure it's clear

because I don't want assumptions thrown out there. It's we have enough people that like to turn opinions into facts so at least assumptions can be proven to be cleared up. So, uh, Chris Pearson, would you like your comments heard today or Okay, it'll make sense why in a second here. Um, I also oppose this, but for a little bit of different reason.

Um, looking at the street, it's not a terribly useful street. It's a dead-end culde-sac uh that's surrounded by one property owner's um property. And so, you know, we're going to take that off of our our um our outlays for for street maintenance and potentially uh create opportunities for new housing, which I think is great. But, um my concern is really kind of the process. We recently went through this with the cliff street closure on the the border between uh Lakewood and Forest Hills. And we talked about how um reducing this connectivity uh by closing a paper street or potential connectivity um would negatively impact a lot of our goals around vision zero, environmentalism,

letting people walk and bike to things, access transit. Uh and I think this actually has a lot of the same things but in a community that is oftenimes much more forgotten about in terms of these issues. Right? We all pay attention to the reasonzonings um but we don't think about um street connectivity.

And so, um, I think it's really important that maybe, uh, we work through something where they provide at least a greenway, um, uh, easement on the southern border, uh, of the property. I think this would be really effective for providing that connectivity. And historically, you know, we've talked about how Hay Thai was sort of blown up by 147 and also Fyville Street, right? Uh, there there's actually right next to this property or where that that Hay tail junctions in is old Fateville, which gives you a hint at what happened when 147 was built.

New Fagatville Street went in uh next to it, creating a lot more space, a five-lane road. Um that's very dangerous and and sort of splits the neighborhood in two. Um when you look at this uh this street actually used to be something else. Used to be Glenn Street and it connected all the way from Old Fagatville or what is

now Old Fagville to Olston and beyond. And there was many homes on this. There were businesses on this. Um, and so I think we really have to think about how we're using these opportunities to actually reconnect the neighborhood instead of just further kind of taking it apart.

So, um, when what I'd like you to think about too is that where this with this new village is a hay tai development, right? We've got a new affordable housing development. The second biggest expense that people have after housing is transportation, right? And so these folks are probably the most likely to be cost burdened, not just in terms of housing, but in transportation as well.

and they're going to lean on walking, biking, and taking a bus. And if you look at the route uh that we could actually add with uh greenway on the southern border of this property, it would allow much easier access to the number five bus, cutting the uh travel time for a pedestrian, maybe in the rain, maybe in the heat, maybe in the cold, uh by about a third. I would also allow them to access a lot of the commercial uh spaces that are along uh old Fateville and Fateville Street, which could provide access to shopping for uh maybe some groceries, get to the

Walgreens, uh maybe the hair salon, maybe it provides opportunities for for jobs. Um maybe it provides opportunities for them to open their own business one day. That would be wonderful. So, I don't oppose this sort of in a in a general sense.

I oppose it in the specific sense that I think we need to do the same due diligence here uh for Hayai that we did for this southern neighborhood and make sure that we provide connectivity. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you so much.

>> All right, sounds good. Thank you all so much. >> [clears throat] >> Item number 15 is next. Durham Athletic Park feasibility study presentation. This is a presentation designated up to 20 minutes.

Feel free to lean in on the up to as much as you want. >> [laughter] >> Good afternoon, mayor, mayor prom, council members, and city manager. My name is Jackie Field, and I serve as the community programs division manager in the city's general services department. We're here today to present the phase one findings of the Durham Athletic Park feasibility study that includes what we heard from stakeholders and the community and the potential vision scenarios developed in partnership with

Perkins and Will idealisms and city staff. Today you will hear from myself and Zena Howard of Perkins and Will. I would also like to acknowledge two other integral team members. Project co-lead Tim Alan with the city's real estate team and urban designer and project manager with Perkins and Will, Marlene Ve.

Thank you both. Now, let's move to the project vision and key takeaways from our community engagement efforts. The purpose of this feasibility study is is to develop a bold community centered vision for the historic Durham Athletic Park. one that honors its legacy while imagining new possibilities for public use, cultural programming, and open space. The scope of work included four key deliverables: a parks and recreation and open space evaluation, equitable and inclusive community engagement, a study of how the DAP could connect to nearby trails, parks, and public spaces, and finally, the

development of potential concepts This slide outlines the full project schedule. We are here today at the dotted line to present the findings from phase one of engagement. As part of the study, we reviewed and synthesized a range of adopted plans to ensure the future of Durham Athletic Park aligns with the city's broader goals. The vision for the DAP is being developed in alignment with the Durham with Durham's existing and recently adopted plans and priorities.

This ensures that the DAP vision is integrated into a larger connected strategy for downtown, supporting mobility, equity, cultural vitality, and access to highquality public space. The Durham Athletic Park has been part of the city's story for nearly a century. Originally built in 1926 as El Toro Park, it was purchased by the city

in 1933 and renamed the Durham Athletic Park for public recreation. After a fire in 1939, the park was substantially rebuilt in 1940, creating much of the structure we still see today. Over the decades, the DAP has hosted generations of Durham Bulls baseball, served as a community gathering space, and gained national recognition through the film Bull Durham. The city's last significant investment at the site included a $4 million bond renovation in 2008.

In 2012, the city entered into a management agreement with the Durham Bulls to operate and maintain the facility. That agreement was recently extended for another three years. The park was also home to North Carolina Central's baseball team, but they have not played at the DAP since 2021. The DAP's legacy is layered with stories of sport, culture, and community, and it's those stories that continue to shape our vision for the future.

While the Durham Athletic Park holds deep historical and cultural value, its current use is limited and underwhelming con compared to its potential. On average, the park is only active about 124 days per year, meaning it sits unused for roughly twothirds of the calendar year. Of those active days, 91% are dedicated to baseball, leaving little room for other types of community programming or public access. The majority of baseball access activity comes from travel leagues and youth tournaments with Voyager Academy using the field for just seven home games each season.

The current management agreement with the Durham Bulls includes maintenance and scheduling responsibilities. We're we are extremely appreciative of the partnership with the Bulls. However, the nature of programming focused almost exclusively on competitive baseball limits who can use the space and how it can be used.

There was an incredible response to the community survey, over 2600 participants. I'm sorry. Excuse me. Nearly half of the respondents were women and 21% identified as people of color.

We also heard from a wide range of age groups. Importantly, 20% of respondents reported household incomes below the area median and 14% are identified as having a disability, helping ensure that the feedback we received reflects a broad spectrum of lived experiences. Community feedback made it clear people want the DAP to remain public, inclusive, and free to access. There was strong opposition to new

housing or largescale development. Others raised concern about commercialization and environmental impact including storm water and imperous surfaces. The overall message is clear. The community supports revitalization especially through adaptive reuse, open space, accessibility, and programming that centers community.

As we heard from the community, people want more open space, more diverse amenities, and more inclusive programming, especially for youth and teens. These priorities are echoed in the city's own Durham Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted earlier this year. The timing of this feasibility study aligned closely with the development of that plan. The DPR plan calls for a larger diversity of amenities across the park system. a consistent highquality experience at all parks and a focus on programming gaps

particularly for ages 12 and up. These themes equity, access, and activation are exactly what we heard from the community throughout this process. So, while this study is focused on one site, it's part of a much larger conversation about how we invest in public space around Durham. And with that, I'll now turn it over to Zena Howard of Perkins and Will to walk us through best practices for open space activation and how those ideas are reflected in the vision scenarios for the DAP.

>> Great. Thank you. Good afternoon, Mayor, Mayor Portim, and council. Um, thank you, Jackie.

I'm Zena Howard. I'm the managing principal of Perkins and Will and um I'm excited to really share with you uh how we began imagining the future of the DAP. So we didn't start with sort of buildings or amenities. Um we started with people and we looked at the site

through the lens of those who would actually use it which are the families, the professionals, the youth, the older adults, the artists. These personas came directly from community engagement. We asked how could each group move through the space? What would make them feel welcomed or even excluded?

That led us to sort of a programming toolkit that we begin to to you to look at. The slide that you see now is um it's from the trust for public lands park score index and it ranks Durham 97th of a 100red populous US cities for park access. So this is this uh score is a measure of equity proximity and activation not just acreage. The DAP sits within a growing network of public spaces. Central Park, the South Ellerby Creek Restoration, Old North Durham Park, and the future downtown Rail Trail, all within walking distance. Yet,

the downstyle the downtown park um still lacks accessibility and high quality green space. 4 4 acres. The DAP is small but strategic, a hub that can link people to nature, history, and each other. So, we asked ourselves as we look to benchmark um five acres really doesn't sound like much, but cities worldwide have turned these spaces into vibrant destinations.

It's really not about size in this case with ADAP, but how the space is organized and experienced. Some parks use distinct outdoor sort of rooms for play, water activities, and gathering, while others really center an open field or flexible lawn. The opportunity here is to design a layered, adaptable park that reflects Durham's identity and offers something for everyone.

We looked across the triangle and we can see small urban parks are redefining what's possible in tight spaces. In Kerry and Raleigh, we saw parks that focused on daily activation, cultural heritage, and exclusive play. These visits were not about learning how they work um were about learning how they work through conversations with staff. Also observing the use and studying the program and how they upkeep these parks.

What stood out was intentional design, strong operations, and a clear sense of place. 4 acres can accomplish a lot when every element has purpose. To understand what's possible at the DAP, we studied peer projects across the region. Some small in size but big in impact. Um on the left here you see more square in Raleigh. This park is just 4 acres but draws $500,000 visitors a year

5 million redesign that really focused on balancing history with modern amenities. Gibson Play Plaza at Dorthia Dicks Park shows the power of partnership with $73 million invested in inclusive nature-based play that attracts 300,000 or more visitors a year. And to the far right finally, is Kerry Downtown Park. 8 8 acres.

5 million investment and again over $300,000 or 300,000 annual visitors. So these parks prove that impact is not necessarily about size. It's about design programming and community connection. That's the approach of guiding guiding the reimagining of the DAP. So, let's look at what we have existing. Um, the Dormac Athletic Park

has strong bones and a rich history. We see the historic ticket booth, uh, the 1939 brick wall and the bricklined covert, all telling its story. These are all assets that are worth preserving here. But much of the infrastructure is aging.

Since the last renovation in 2008, community needs have evolved. Today, the site feels gated and closed off with outdated circulation. There's that double perimeter fencing and very limited accessibility. Usage is low and focused on baseball.

Even as the surrounding neighborhood grows and seeks more inclusive uh play space, the challenge is clear. preserve the park's character while adapting it for today's and tomorrow's needs. That's the balance the plan aims to achieve. Again, these images tell the story of a place with character, but also with wear. Aging masonry roofs, uh, aging

masonry roofs that are aging. Finishes signal the need for a full assessment to decide what to restore, replace fencing and layout further restricts access and visibilility, limiting how people move through and connect with the park. Altogether, these conditions highlight a clear need for reinvestment addressing both the physical infrastructure and the overall user experience. So, we looked at a range of opportunities for the park.

The feasibility study is about shaping the best future use of the DAP guided by community input, research, and of course, the city's goals. From that process, we developed three conceptual approaches that explore different levels of change and of course investment. These are not final design solutions, but illustrative frameworks to test what's possible. The first on the left is preservation and this reflects what Jackie spoke about with the engagement where 9% of the participants prefer

minimal change by restoring existing facilities, improving accessibility and addressing general safety needs. The middle option is transformation and this reimagines the site by removing the the um the stadium, opening up to its surroundings and creating a central lawn for recreation and events. And to the far right, the new development option explores bold partnerships and new civic uses that could expand the park's role in downtown. All three of these approaches strengthen connections to the nearby public spaces.

We talked about the Durham uh Central Park, Ellerby Creek restoration, the future rail trail, and old North Durham Park while still honoring the DAP's history and ensuring the site's legacy is both remembered and renewed. So, looking closer at the first option, this approach, like all like the other two to follow, keeps all the historic features intact. These elements serve as

anchors for the site's identity and offer opportunities for interpretive storytelling. At the same time, this option introduces new amenities that support everyday use. This is the most modest of the three approaches in terms of physical change, but it delivers meaningful impact by restoring the park's legacy and making it more open and inclusive for the future. It introduces improvements like better lighting infrastructure, clearer wayfinding, upgraded seating and pathways, small changes that make a big difference in how people move through and enjoy the space.

Uh these updates are designed to be sensitive to the site's character while making it more accessible, comfortable, and welcoming for all. This next view demonstrates the impact of community- centered programming. So here you see it introduces flexible spaces for events, performances, pop-up

markets, uh uses that really reflect Durham's cultural vibrancy and invite people to make together and connect. Uh these additions are low impact and reversible, ensuring the park remains adaptable over time while still feeling familiar and rooted in its history. Finally, this approach deepens the preservation intent by weaving in storytelling and interpretation. You see here signage, public art, and design elements.

Um, it highlights the site's layered history from its indust industrial past to its role in the community today. The middle option is the transformation. This approach reshapes the site with sculpted BMS that frame a diamondshaped central lawn. Pretty much a nod to the to the historic use of the park uh as the baseball legacy. It preserves historic elements like introducing while introducing zones for play, rest, and

civic use that invite movement and exploration. A new civic space strengthens the connection to the Durham Rail Trail and the Gear Street activities. This approach is all about layering experiences again, creating spaces for relaxation, recreation, and community life. Walking and biking paths weave through the site, encouraging exploration.

Native planning enhance ecology and bring seasonal beauty, while shaded resting areas make the park more flexible and comfortable. Together, these elements tie nature, history, and accessibility into a cohesive and welcoming public space. Here we imagine an elevated walkway that becomes the park spine, offering views, circulation, and storytelling as you move through the site. The diamond shaped lawn supports everything from casual play to concerts and festivals, while the historic ticket booth remains

a key landmark. Art and interpretive elements celebrate Durham's identity, altogether making this a space for both everyday use and special events. You see, landscape and experience unite in a continuous inclusive park. Native plantings will add color and support that local ecology while while walking and biking paths invite movement.

The Durham porch that you see here offers elevated views and storytelling opportunities. So this vision weaves performance, ecology, and community into one seamless landscape, welcoming both individual and quiet moments and shared experiences. This last approach is the new development and it's the most transformative concept. It reimagines the DAP as a layered landscape organized around natural and civic zones. A diagonal path daylights a historic

creek, creating a powerful ecological and storytelling feature that reconnects the site till it to its environmental roots. At the center of this scheme is homebased plaza, a new civic space for cultural events, community gatherings, and everyday use. This concept blends biodiversity, memory, and movement, turning the park into a dynamic space that reflects Durham's ecological and social history. This vision turns the DAP into a true multi-generational destination where teens, families, adults, and everyone in between can find something meaningful to do.

playscapes, biodiverse plantings, and flexible lawns support everything from casual recreation to largecale events. Elevated walkways and civic spaces connect history, ecology, and community use, stitching everything together from the park's past and also its future. But one of the most exciting

things about this approach is the daylighting of Ellerby Creek, revealing a historic waterway and creating a living ecological corridor. This aligns with Durham's commitment to biofilic design and environmental stewardship. Here we zoom in on Homebase Plaza, the civic heart of this concept. It's more than a gathering space.

It's a hub for culture, learning, and everyday life. The daylight at Ellerby Creek becomes a living classroom, supporting biodiversity while managing storm water and offering a tangible connection to Durham's natural systems. Just as important, this design extends the reach of Durham Central Park, creating a seamless connection between civic and green spaces and strengthening the walkable paths network. The final view brings it all together really here. a biodiverse, accessible, and connected park um that reflects

Durham's identity and aspirations. The elevated walkway ties together views, movement, storytelling, guiding visitors through a landscape rich with history and meaning. The central lawn and surrounding civic spaces support a wide range of uses from everyday use to all day uh to large scale performances. Again, every path, planting, and feature is intentional, telling uh part of Durham's story while creating a space that's welcoming, inclusive, and ready for the future.

So, here um wanted to look at um how we've summarized an opinion of probable construction costs for each approach. So the the one to the left, the preservation and restoration approach which focuses on revitalization of existing structures falls in the range of 48 to68 million. The center option, the transformation re-imagines the site with sculpted landscapes and expanded public use is

estimated between 40 and $60 million. And finally, the new development scenario. This is the vision that introduces the ecological features that ranges from 62 to 85 million. These values are based on conceptual design benchmarking and are not detailed estimates.

Professional estimates would be developed through further design and engineering studies and of course cost estimating. Thank you. I think we can take questions and any feedback that you have. Appreciate your time.

>> Thank you so much. >> We're not quite ready for questions. >> Oh, I'm sorry. a little bit more.

Got about Thanks Zena. >> Um, thank you Zena and Jackie for those that information. My name is Stacy Poston, general services department. And um, want to talk a little bit further about as we were doing this work and doing engagement and involved with these high level conceptual designs.

At the same time, Marcus Manning and his team from the Durham Sports Commission was doing simultaneous work. And so he has some information he'd like to share as well as we begin this discussion. So

with that, I'll invite Marcus to come up and talk to us today. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon, >> Mayor, Mayor Pro Tim, members of the council, manager Ferguson, and city staff.

I just want to first thank you for your support and partnership. uh that has allowed us as a sports commission to wrap our arms around the the local Durham sports ecosystem and support and partner with our stakeholders has also allowed us to recruit and retain regional and national sporting events partnering with our stakeholders and leveraging our facility assets that we have in Durham. And that's why I'm here today. The Durham Sports Commission sees a unique opportunity for a re-imagined Durham Athletic Park. And I

do want to thank Perkins Wheel and the city for their time, energy, and effort for their feasibility study. In recent months, we've been in conversations, several conversations with potential tenants, three potential tenants. one being a new professional league that has expressed an interest in Durham that has led to multiple conversations and multiple site visits to Durham, including a tour of Durham Athletic Park. We've had conversations about what Durham Athletic Durham Athletic Park could be, potential upgrades, and also the significant interest in a downtown footprint.

We've talked about broadcast capabilities at the park. We've talked about expanded seating VIP experiences and overall again what the Durham Athletic Park could be. We've had conversations with the regional basketball regional baseball academy. They've expressed

significant interest seeing it as a multi-purpose type facility. They continue to experience growth and expansion even into the softball place. They've thought about using it for 10 months all around, including wanting to have synthetic turf to have multiple games throughout the year, camps, skill development, and leadership development. The final is North Carolina Central.

And as it stands right now, since 2022, they've had over 50 home dates in Kerry. We've had conversations with NCCU about the opportunity to bring softball to Durham where it belongs here in our backyard. So, as we think about these three potential tenants and more, it really allows us to think about Durham Athletic Park as an outdoor multi-purpose venue,

one that can host major sporting events, but also non-sporting events. It allows us to think about a facility and a venue in downtown Durham that can host professional, collegiate, youth, and high school sporting activities. It allows us to really think, what if we have synthetic turf? What if we create additional space in Durham Athletic Park that allows for more sports to be played like soccer, flag football, tackle football, potentially creating those youth opportunities as we've talked about before.

We also talked about the idea of having a third-party facility and venue operator. One, it could lead to potential capital investments. Let's define that. We mentioned changing from natural grass to synthetic turf, but it

also can explain expand the seating as we've mentioned and VIP experiences as we've mentioned, broadcast capability along with high-speed Wi-Fi and also potentially a video board. It also can serve as a connector to the surrounding communities in downtown. It also can serve as a recruiter for major events, sporting events, and also non- major sporting events. A value ad to the fan and guest experience.

And then finally, a consistent performance evaluation of the facility and the venue to think about the return on investment for Durham and the Durham community. And I'll end with this. 96 days, the last 96 days,

we've spent multiple site visits to Dur National, regional, local. championship preparation as we get ready to host a conference championship next Saturday, a national championship the weekend after that and multiple state championships. And then finally, as we all know, facility discussions and what these type of assets mean to Durham. We understand it could be a community asset. We understand that it expands opportunities for informal and formal participation. We also understand the opportunity of revenue generation and is serving as potentially a significant economic impact driver as we know as we utilize other facility assets across Durham and the recruitment of regional and national

sporting events. I want to thank you for your time. I want to thank the members of the council uh for your support and your partnership. Thank you.

>> Thank you so much. All right. Thank you all for that. And um >> remind me your name.

Perkins. Well, >> Zena. >> Zena. >> You you see you didn't have to rush.

I was outside when you were coming in and she was falling. She was running so long. >> Um you. >> Uh, thank you all so much.

I'm going to call up a few speakers at a time. First, Erin Kaufman, the Aaron, uh, Susan Amy, my friend Bob Ashley. >> Thank you so much. Um, my name is Aaron Kaufman. I'm the executive director of Durham Central Park and it's my honor to speak to you today in support of expanding accessible community green

space in downtown Durham. A few months ago right here the update updated Durham Central Park designs which we're calling we're fondly calling the DCP green print were presented to you as part of the DPR comprehensive plans and you unanimously approved those plans a few weeks later. As a nonprofit, Durham Central Park, Inc. works closely with Durham Parks and Wreck to manage, program, improve, and fund raise for the park so that everyone in Durham can enjoy it.

We embarked on the update of the park plans at this time because over the past decade, downtown Durham has seen extraordinary growth and de development. And as a result, Durham Central Park has become the central outdoor gathering space for our community. Each week, thousands of people from all across Durham and beyond come to the park, visit the park, and not just for relaxation and recreation, but for the farmers market, concerts, community events, and so much more. Just a few weeks ago, over 5,000 people

gathered on the great lawn in the park for the No Kings Rally. People love this place. I'm telling you this to demonstrate how much our community yearns for gathering space downtown. We have a wonderful 5 acres in Durham Central Park.

We're thrilled to be embarking on the needed improvements and upgrades of this space with our partners in the city and individual donors to make it a more usable and resilient space. But the fact of the matter is 5 acres is not enough for the city anymore. While Durham Parks while Durham Central Park is able to provide a beloved third space for our community, we're not able to do it all. One of the main pieces of feedback that we get from people about the park is that they want a bigger park there.

The other is that visitors find beauty in the park's lack of barriers. The reimagination of the DAP is an inspired way to provide both of those things to our community without placing strain on already tapped resources. Transforming a fenced in baseball field into an accessible community green space

that is an extension of or at least connected to Durham Central Park would provide people with the additional g with the additional space to gather that they were that they want. Because of the constraints of the development on the park's border, we can't physically expand that space. But any of the scenarios that were presented today would be a huge asset to Durham, Durham, downtown Durham and the community. By opening up more green space for play, respit, recreation, and events, spaces like Durham, Central Park become less burdened by the wear and tear of hundreds of thousands of youth of downtown visitors each year.

Reimagining the DAP would offer downtown and the city a large a great swath of opportunity to enjoy our beautiful city and we are excited to support green investment in downtown Durham. Thank you very much. >> Only one problem. I counted 7,000 or more.

>> Oh yeah. I I I don't short us. [laughter] All right. >> There's there's a lot of feet that go

through that park and thank you so much. He literally was out there counting. >> I I I really >> It was crazy. [laughter] >> Proudly.

>> Good afternoon, Mayor, Mayor Prom, city council members and city staff. Uh my name is Susan Amy. I'm here as a representative of Durham Next and Discover Durham to comment in support of us further exploring option one together. And there are several reasons I believe that's the right direction.

Uh we all know from our experience living here as well as from the community input that fed Durham's destination master plan that Durham residents have a deep love for preserving our history. The work Perkins and Will did affirms that for the Durham Athletic Park. 44% thought it was important.

for people from all over Durham and beyond to visit and enjoy the site. And that will also provide the greatest foot traffic to support surrounding hospitality and entertainment businesses, creating the most economic impact for Durham and additional tax revenue. This council and many others have been eager to see the private sector provide financial support for important projects in Durham and the sports commission has already um been in touch with potential partners who are interested in doing just that. This is a once only opportunity to bring a beloved community asset back to life.

There's much more work to be done and Discover Durham, the Durham Sports Commission, and Durham Next would be thrilled to partner with the city to explore and develop the proposal that will have the largest positive impact for the community. Thank you. >> Thank you so much, Miss Amy. >> Thanks, Mr. Ashley. Thank you very much,

Mayor Mayor Perim, council members. It's been 85 years since the Durham Athletic Park was built and it's seen a lot of history and our friends from Perkins and Will touched on a couple of these, but I want to emphasize them. It was designed by George Watts Carr, an architect who was responsible for many, many treasured buildings in Durham. Paid for by John Sprunt Hill, another industrial leader.

Durham High School played football there some during the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Negro game Negro League games were played there, often outdrawing the white teams that played there. In November 11th, 1950, Jackie Robinson and his Allstars played an exhibition game at DAP. Players included Roy Campanella, Don

Nukem of the Dodgers, Larry Dobby, Luke Easter of the Cleveland Indians. It was a memorable evening and it was notably, I believe, the first integrated baseball game officially in Durham. The Bulls had been around since the early century, ebbing and flowing. By 1940, the team had become a farm team for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

World War II put a stra World War II put a strain on baseball as so much else. But the team after folding in 1944, reestablished in 1945 as the Red Sox Farm Club and the Class Catalina League. By 1948, they'd switched to the Tigers. But in 1980, Miles Wolf developed an expansion franchise in the Carolina League. The farm team for the Atlanta Braves named once again the Durham Bulls. And then in 1988,

need I remind anyone in Durham, Bull Durham embedded the Bulls in the national conscious. I I happen to believe it was the best baseball of all time, but we can debate that another time. The Bolts became one of the most popular franchises in the nation. All that history is worth remembering, worth preserving.

The park stands as a reminder of that to anyone living here, visiting here. preserving the park will be a visible reminder of all of that and more to come. Thank you. >> Thank you so much.

Thank you so much. Um based on your comments that I can listen to all day, just the history and I appreciate that so much. Want to call up Nicole Thompson next and I see um Mayor Nick Tennyson in the audience. I'm going to ask that you come up after her if you

will. Uh, good afternoon. Um, Nicole Thompson, president, CEO of Downtown Durham Incorporated. Uh, good afternoon, mayor, city council members, city manager.

The importance of the foster cork and black wall corridor for downtown is well established. It is a major spine through downtown and has been identified in 2000 the 2000 Durham master plan and the 2015 Durham downtown Durham smart vision plan as needing to be a safe and inviting corridor linking key destinations and unique areas of downtown. Along this corridor you can find the Bull Stadium, DPAC, ATC, CCB Plaza, Major the Bull, Carolina Theater, Durham Central Park, and the historic Durham Athletic Park. We are excited about the current projects that are moving forward.

The Carolina Theat's 100-year anniversary, the Durham Central Park Visioning Plan, the Bike Facilities 2 Plan, the Durham Rail Trail, and a South Eerie Creek restoration. In addition, this part of downtown has seen a tremendous amount of growth. Over,400 residential units, seven multif family developments have

been built in this area since 2018 and have come online. Currently, 86 businesses call this area home and 25 of them have opened since 2023. So, we are excited about that. The Durham History Athletic Park is getting some muchneeded attention and are excited to hear of the tremendous public engagement that has occurred.

I think we can all agree that at its current level of activity, the historic Durham Athletic Park is operating at far less than what it could be. and in fact is dragging far behind other key assets in downtown that are seeing a rebirth and renewed vitality. We know that the re reimagining of this space will only support the ongoing growth and vibrancy occurring in this area and has been specifically called out in the Durham downtown blueprint which you will be you will hear more about at your next council meeting. In the downtown Durham blueprint, however, which we which will come before you at your next session, it highlights the Durham Athletic Park as a key opportunity to develop this site that will benefit the community and connect to adjacent open spaces. Because downtown has experienced significant growth in recent years, the Durham

Athletic Park remains a significant opportunity to provide a center for recreation and culture. Once complete, this historic landmark promises to be an important designation for residents and visitors alike. So, it is imperative that we begin to work immediately so that this site no longer sits dormant for 241 days a year, but that it is assuring activity and excitement and engagement year round. Durham needs this site to be re-immanaged reimagined.

Downtown needs this site to become more robust to encourage the countless other businesses that want to call this area home. And the current 86 businesses I mentioned earlier need the pedestrian activity that a more robust site would bring. The city working with Perkins and Will has brought some great thoughts and ideas centered around the robust community engagement. From this visioning, the Durham Sports Commission has stepped boldly for forward with a offer to offer viable options and potential partners to enhance this space. DDI is supportive of the ideas that have been brought forward and we are very interested in the tangible concepts shared by the Durham Sports

Commission. The ability to bring sports of all levels is something that we need. I ask that you support this and let us continue this conversation. All right.

Thank you. Another historian of uh engagement, mayor, former mayor Nick Tennyson. >> Thank you. And I I keenly aware of my resemblance to the ghost of Christmas past.

Here's some seasonal reference some of you may get. Uh that this has been a very exciting session for me to listen to. and and as I listen to it, uh, one of the things that occurs to me is the concept that once you've made a sale, you should stop selling. So, I won't attempt to sell anymore. But that's also true for the fact that we've got we have had in our laps, dumped a landmark, a cultural icon that that we should try to

preserve. In in my view, we should try to preserve it to maintain the link that people have established with Durham and the concept of baseball and all of the good things about that. They have a baseball stadium, a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield in in Iowa that people drive hours to go see with nothing else around it. and we have a a much better field in the middle of an area of just a tremendous range of options to around which one could build a visit.

So I was thrilled to hear the comments about the potential of people that might want to use it. I'm I'm disappointed. I mean, my own sons played down there and couple of uh at the time the the school system was using it from time to time. Uh I really think that what's before you is an exciting series of choices. I hope that you will

preserve personally I hope that you'll preserve that connection to the baseball. U but this is a win-win winwin win. So thank you. Thank you Mr.

mayor for the time and all the best. >> Thank you, mayor. Uh, next I have Rivka Gordon. >> After Riv Rivica, I have Julia Lor.

>> Hello and thank you so much for giving me the opportunity of speaking with you today. My name is Rifka Gordon. I live at 214 Hunt Street, the Vega Condominium. I live on the northeast corner which means that I look directly down onto Durham Central Park and the skate park. I am a recent member of the Durham Central Park board of directors, but today I speak with you as an engaged Durham downtown Durham resident. I'm also a grandmother of a five-year-old

who lives in Durham and a two and a halfyear-old who lives in western North Carolina and comes to visit frequently. Our family loves Durham Central Park. We see and we hear Durham Central Park all day, every day. Several times a week, we take our walks and we continue on to the Durham Athletic Park.

Most of the time, no one is using it. Sometimes there's a baseball game, and that's really fun to see. But as I see it, developing a plan that brings together the five acres of Durham Central Park with the five acres of the Durham Athletic Park into a multi-use park with green space, recreation of all kinds, event space, and so on would provide our residents and the people who visit Durham with a park that everyone could enjoy. Just imagine a 10 acre park with picnic areas, a water playground, space for sports like basketball, botchi, open

areas for creative uses that really use the wild areas along the creek. I watch every day how people use the great lawn at Durham Central Park creatively. And especially with my grandsons, I'm aware of the seriously overused small play area children for children. We need more park.

I know Durham can think bigger and provide more for everyone with a 10acre park in downtown. I ask that we take a step back and consider how much a 10 acre Durham Park would enhance our city. Let's retain the bull's wonderful history, but look to the future. Let's imagine and plan for a 10acre historic Durham Central Park that will benefit all Durhamites as well as the people who visit our exciting city. Thank you. >> Thank you so much,

>> Julia. >> Hello, I'm Julia Leer. I'm the membership and programs coordinator for Preservation Durham. And today I am here on behalf of the organization to express preservation Durham support of the Durham athletic park the preservation of the Durham athletic park.

So we support opportunities presented in the preservation and restoration option but we still have a lot of concerns and questions about what that looks like and we ask to be involved in future phases. The second and third option should not be considered as they propose significant changes to the Durham Athletic Park, one of the city's most iconic and culturally significant landmarks. As Durham considers options for its future, community feedback makes it clear that preservation must remain central, not minimized. As plans move forward, the focus should be on enhancing and investing in what already exists, not replacing it with something new.

In fact, that was what was identified in the survey. The survey findings underscore this priority at 44% specifically mentioning and emphasizing the need to preserve the unique features of the DAP. That was more than any other priority in the survey. Yet, the recent

feasibility study treats historic preservation as a secondary competing goal rather than an essential one. It was very little mentioned in the presentation we saw as well, and we want to make sure we highlight that preservation should not be framed as a trade-off with public use or open space. The DAB is a foundation that gives the site and surrounding Foster and West Gear Street historic district their meaning and identity. The district has already lost much of its working-class character over the past decade, making it all the more important to protect what remains.

Our issue with the study, beyond minimizing the public's strong support for preservation, is the absence of a clearly defined future use for the site. The DAP is already a unique historic venue within an urban historic district that offers endless opportunities for programming as is. Is it under utilized? Sure.

But that issue can be addressed through an improved management agreement and stronger programming, not a multi-million dollar redesign. In fact, this was the first that we heard about the sports commission's um proposal, and we think it's a great idea for a future use of the park of the DAB. Could it be more accessible? Of course, but those barriers should be first identified,

then addressed [clears throat] through sensitive limited upgrades to existing infrastructure, infrastructure, and improving access. Where's the analysis of what's not working under the current operating agreement with the Durham Bulls? Why not focus on practical improvements like bathroom, lighting, or sound upgrades that would make smaller community events like concerts, movie nights, or recreational leagues more feasible? These are the kinds of questions that must be answered before pursuing major capital investments.

True preservation of the DAP goes beyond maintaining its physical structures. It requires a thoughtful plan for its future use, one that serves Durham's community and honors its history for generations to come. Preservation Durham urges the city to acknowledge that historic preservation was a top community priority identified in the survey and make it the guiding focus moving forward. Ensure any future redevelopment or redesigning retains the depths defining historic features. Pursue local landmark designation or commit to submitting future design plans for voluntary review by the historic preservation commission and prioritize activation and access through creative management and partnership agreements rather than a costly overhaul that risk

eroding the site's historic in integrity. Thank y'all. [laughter] >> Almost auctioneer status. [clears throat] All right, we have one more speaker.

All right, Nick Johnson. [clears throat] >> Oh, thank you so much for having me. Thank you for being here and for the work that you do uh to to try and make Durham a wonderful place. Uh and for that lovely pres preservation uh u presentation.

I'm a big fan of Preservation Durham. I'm also a recipient of multiple of their awards, including their highest preservation award. I've worked in preservation for years, and I think it's a very worthwhile thing to do. However, I don't think we should do what was just suggested by Preservation Durham. Uh I think that option two and three looking forward to the use of the park and also incorporating preservation into some aspects of the use of the park uh will be a far more effective use uh and in in creating what we all want which is a

usable and then used space in downtown. Um I I've I've gone to ballpark I've gone to games at the DAP since I was a child. Um I have a great love for it. I also um operate the Rick House which is right on the edge of right field and I get to see how unused it is.

Um I think transforming that um space into largely what it currently is a baseball field um and then adding some small things uh would be a shame and an opportunity when we could um both highlight the history of that site and also create something which is in modernday life in downtown Durham. uh usable, attractive, and exciting to everyone around. Um that's really all I have to say. Uh thanks for your time.

>> Thank you so much. All right. That was really good. Really good. >> Nick is Nick is a friend that that

>> did not curse. [laughter] I was nervous up here like oh boy. >> Oh boy. It's good to see you, man.

All right. Uh, thank you to all the speakers here. I remember when this first came up, uh, I had somehow missed the fact that we were starting the feasibility study and my phone blew up and the way information goes in our community. Why are you making them do a feasibility study on this?

Nobody needs a feasibility study. And they were totally misunderstanding what the feasibility study was. They thought we were turning into a turning it into a feasibility study and I was like that's not a thing. It's a it's an action but you know it [clears throat] happens.

Here we are. Uh colleagues uh comments speaker. >> Yeah just a few questions. First of all, um, thank you so much for the work, um, all of you at at Perkins and Will and and the work that's that's gone into

this from from staff and from the the consultant team. Um, I've got a a couple questions here. Um, first of all, can we just get a reminder kind of the origins of the feasibility study? Where where did this remind us where this came from?

Um, I think for for the edification of everyone. Uh second, um can you just explain a little bit? I know that those numbers for the costs are extremely rough. Um but can you just explain a little bit about why the preservation restoration option almost seemed comparable to the new development uh scenario? Um and then my third question is uh in terms of opening up the ballpark. Um how would we imagine there being the flexibility of on most days people could access the grounds, could walk through the ballpark, but it would still that we would still have the option of of

closing it um for uh concerts, events, uh sports games, things like that. Stacy Poston, we're just negotiating who's going to take which questions, so I'll take the first two. Um, so the feasibility study was uh conceived uh when Mayor Schul was here early on. We received some direction and some thoughts around how to how to approach that community asset, what we ought to what we ought to do with it.

And there was a little thinking around soccer at that time. Um, and so we've been u thinking about doing that work. And so in the last year, we've been able to get to that and and engage the community and their thinking and now we're presenting that information to you. So that's was the inception of those activities.

Um question number two was um around the cost estimations sort of early cost estimates. Um and I think that preservation and restoration can be a fairly expensive thing. And so I think the reason you see that first concept being less expensive than the transformation concept is that we would

have to take and renovate some of those existing facilities which can be sometimes a little more expensive. And so when you see the cost estimates sort of for the for the first um preservation restoration that's why you see that number is a little bit higher. >> Okay. So we're when we're talking about preservation restor we're talking about kind of a full bringing it fully up to high quality upgrade.

>> Sure. So right now the restrooms might be underneath the grandstand seats and you might want to bring those out from underneath that that area um so that they were more accessible for instance and so how you approach that what you would do with the electricity and the plumbing and sort of all those types of things leaving other other assets in place that sort of are more historic elements that you might think about in in that context. So I think you're moving instead of having sort of a clean slate you're moving pieces around. So sometimes that can be a little more expensive.

Um, and then with regard to number three, I'm going to pass that to Zena Howard. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for your question. I'm going to restate number three. I think you said how can how can essentially accommodate

both uses, the use as a uh athletics team and also this uh cultural use. So yes, as an athletic um professional athletics, you do have to have certain things like the perimeter fencing, but we have ways of doing that that doesn't look like some of the images I showed you earlier, um where it essentially looks like um almost like a prison yard, uh for lack of a better term. So I uh our approach if we go this way and we're equally excited about what the Durham Sports Commission is talking about would be to um design it so that it accommodates that without the physical look of a barrier for the week or on days could be the weekends when it's not used for professional sports activities. So I think um we would be excited about exploring that in the future but it it can do both uses I think.

Sure. Thank you. U Thank you so much. Um I

actually I used to play baseball here uh when I went to Durham School of the Arts. We actually got booted out by uh North Carolina Central. Um and also uh the Durm Dragon Softball League used to play here. though if you were looking for more historians on on the site.

Um I think what this one thing that this shows is just how many urban and planning problems can be solved with great design. And I think that's that's what we're seeing in in really all of these designs. We're seeing um you know, how do we how do we take uh a a stadium that has so much cultural culturally rich history is is such a an iconic uh Durham identity and um and upgrading it in in a variety of ways that can maintain the existing use or transform it. And um and and so great design is something that we should never overlook. Um there is obviously a lot of sentiment I

think for for people in in our community around uh the the stadium. Um many people who live in Durham today used to go to baseball games there when when the Durham Bulls played there. Um a lot of folks sometimes this is a great place one of the best places to see a baseball game. Bob can just walk in and um and watch the travel teams.

Um, and just a few years ago, you know, watch North Carolina Central. Um, so, so I I think it's it's such an an important space in in our city and located right downtown. Um with regard to um the the the three uh different scenarios, uh you know, I do want to acknowledge I think the the vision around scenarios uh two, two and three, particularly three with the daylighting of Ellerby Creek. Um obviously daylighting all of our creeks is is so important. Um, I do have

a preference for scenario one and I wanted to ask something following up from Preservation Durham's comments of what would it look like to evolve the site? um what would it look like to take some initial steps to opening up the site a little bit more so that we can almost sort of a pop pop-up urbanism style we can get a vision of what it might look like without kind of going 0 to 60 right away. Do do we have any ideas or thoughts about uh temporary changes and modifications to the site that would accomplish at least some of the initially some of the these goals that we're reaching for as we move toward any of the the additional three scenarios. >> Um so I think there are there are lots of options here. I think one of the things to think about is what is the impact on the turf and the grass, right? As we start to think about moving from

the activities that are happening there and the contracts that we might have in existence for the current space and use and what it might look like if we were to do something like a beerfest on that that grass and what an artificial turf solution might look like and what the options might be for funding something like that. think there are an array of solutions here and so I think this is a good conversation to sort of start the thinking and to think about what appropriate next steps might be. If we got some direction around this we could think about phasing and costs and come back with with a more strategic plan around something like that. >> Thank you.

Council member Council member Freeman please. >> Thank you. Just following up. I just want to kind of build off of that comment and just say that I know this this area becomes just a mud bowl um if you get too many people stamping on that grass. And so mindful of that, it will need to be turf in order for it to continue to be used more than or over

that 241 days, you know, like so I mean that's a given. I wanted to hear from also from Preservation Derm because I know you mentioned moving the bathrooms. I want I want to be mindful like if the bathrooms were used by Jackie Robinson, I want to be careful that we just don't dismiss all of the history that is included at the site. Um, and so I am leaning heavily towards that option one just knowing that the history of I mean just even adding today with the the first actual integrated game in Durm um happening at that site.

How much of that history have we actually documented and then how much of it are we trying to work around? Because even if you were to because I would I would like to see some type of a facility there um to house some of that information noting like there's um I mean I can't can't help I I got to address the uh best baseball movie because it's a league of their own. But um [laughter] but I do want to say that Bull Durm and

its cultural like iconics iconic attachment to Durm is similar to like the hate I mean the um what's the uh the new movie that came out with um oh my gosh it just went um >> no it was the schools it was the Ann at one >> the best of enemies and so knowing like those pieces in our community it's it's important to tie them together and make sure that that so if there is a way to make this a historic baseball park you know like the historic museum historic baseball museum and park that is more of the option one part that I'm I would love to hear more about and I don't think that the the cost does feel very inflated just mindful that you know unless you're doing some huge structures I don't know if you get to that number and so what the phases looks like in that conversation, the turf, then the the like the building and not moving the

bathrooms, but creating new bathrooms. Yeah, that kind of um detailed list would be helpful to try to lay out what the history that we want to capture on the site looks like. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, >> thanks Mor.

Well, this is a a fun and rich conversation. Um, like Council Member Baker, um, I have played baseball in the DAP. So, you guys you guys know me as the guy threw on the baseball on that video before, Councilman. So, I have a strong bias to seeing baseball played in the DAP.

Um, I do want to appreciate Bob Ashley's history lesson about the DAP. It's really helpful. Bob, you actually, one thing you left out, and I'm so glad Council Freeman mentioned A League of Their Own, your favorite baseball movie, because remember when they that movie came out, there was like a barn swimming team, the Silver Bullets came and played in the DAP, >> and I got to play in that game against them. So that so so this is very near and dear to my heart.

>> Is this history? >> Hey, look at that. That's cool. So um um so I have a couple questions for Perkins Will actually about the about the study and thank you for the work there um and

for the inquiry and what else we could do in those five acres and the sort of thoughts about the three scenarios. Um my first question is in terms of the engagement. So like as part of that did you talk to the other stakeholders like the baseball community, the folks that use that were they part of that survey? When you say the baseball community, are you >> I mean folks that are using the field now or that may use the field or that are part of, you know, the whole baseball community in Durham.

>> We have we received so part of what we showed you of the 2600 people that was mostly community rooted. Um and of course professional people that are member in the community, members of those organizations uh were uh participated in that. But in terms of of formal formally engaging with particular um uh organizations um uh no I don't think we did that and you may have more to add. Yeah. >> So so we engaged with the youth council we engaged with the Central Park school um in adjacency. We did a number of

community organizations Latinx community those those types of entities um Durham Bulls themselves. So we had an exper sports commission. So there was a number of engagement sort of touch points that were sort of in that baseball realm whether it's sort of from youth to to the baseball community itself. But did we um interview necessarily like a b youth baseball team itself?

No. No we did not do I guess my point is that you know I mean I'm a big supporter of like the skatepark downtown and I think if you ask folks like hey what could we do with the skate park you'd probably get a lot of ideas there but I think keeping a skate park is also important. Um I guess my second question was like how much like what kind of interaction you have with DPR as part of this because I think you mentioned that the DPR um comprehensive system plan. How much do you sort of work with them on because in terms of like need for fields for example for baseball fields? Yeah, on this early um feasibility study, we obviously we had input from them, but really it's about um laying out the large vision and as soon as we tunnel in, we expect there to be significantly more engagement with DPR as well as with

this um you know, this sort of second approach and your question, Commissioner Baker, about the dual use of this potential site. So we anticipate um a lot more future engagement but for now the support of this as in terms of recreation is huge. >> Yeah. I will say I mean because you know in the the um the and again thanks to to I know director Wade Walcott is here.

I serve on the recreation advisory committee. So and we've been through that comprehensive system plan very carefully. So just a couple things to note. So that that survey that they and they did a tremendous engagement as part of that comprehensive system plan.

One of those one of the findings was that um that baseball ranks as one of the top amenities or facilities most important to households. >> Um baseball was ranked high as a top priority for investment from from folks that responded >> and also among the programs and activities most important to households, baseball ranked number four. So there's definitely a lot of interest in baseball fields. And so what I want to make sure is as we're thinking about new uses for the DEAP that we're also not that we don't sort of miss the fact that there

is a need for baseball fields here and this is a you know elite baseball field. Yeah. >> So, yes, I'm a big fan, as I think a couple of my colleagues have mentioned, I'm a big fan of option one, and I appreciate Marcus Manning being here from the sports commission, which sounds like some really interesting options for actually activating the DAP. The idea of having potentially, you know, the the DBA app with the BS on one end of downtown and the DAP renovated on the other end with act sort of activated fully as we envision to me is a really exciting opportunity.

So, I look forward to that. But I I certainly support option one. The preservation piece is the most for me exciting ones. >> Baseball fans.

Thank you. >> Keep swinging. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Uh, thank you.

I appreciate everyone's um um comments and the presentation. Um, I will have to say I think I I knew when Council Member Freeman shook her head about the best best baseball movie, I was like, I know which one's her favorite. It has it has Madonna. All right.

You know, anyway, not that you know, Susan Tom Hanks, right? >> Yeah. I mean, you know, anyway, but uh I understand the deep love. I think I was

speaking to somebody and I was like, you can go to the green room still. It's one of the only ones that still exists um of of that time and still around. And I'm I am going to make fun of my council member colleague uh council member Risk because he is really actually insane about baseball. " Uh and >> yeah, and that's exactly what was uh going on.

Um, I I think that um, for me, the one that I I I really like the idea of just activating the space. I don't really care how we do it. I I I'm not a baseball person. I totally understand why people want to preserve it, want to keep that rich rich tradition, the history, and everything like that.

I just want to see people using it. Um, I I think that we have had some some success when Silvenesso played a few years ago. Uh, those tickets sold out very quickly. I don't like driving to Raleigh to go to Red Hat at all, ever. Um, so I I I think that there's a lot of potential. Uh, I think that seems

like there's some cohesion happening between activating that space, some potential that the sports commission is mentioning, uh, that we can, you know, activate the space, make it connect well to Durham, Central Park, really have a community asset that's well used and well-loved. And that's pretty much where where I'm at. Uh I love the idea of the third option. Um but I think that uh I you know I've been on this council long enough where you think you make an idea you make a decision and then the next meeting and all of a sudden you have really intense baseball fans you know lining up uh and really mad at you and you just weren't aware that there was that much passion.

Um so um I think that the just activating the space as much as possible uh it is uh for for sports, for festivals, for music. Uh I think the idea of switching from grass to turf because it's long been a long-standing issue of why we haven't been able to activate the space. I do appreciate the whole conversation around the fencing and figuring out how it comes down because I don't like that visual barrier

at all. Um, and I look forward to being able to use it in a few years. And hopefully, um, it it'll happen quickly. That would be my only other, um, I I don't want to be, you know, like even more white in the in the hair here, uh, when we all get to celebrate and use a pretty beloved downtown space.

That's all. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mayor President. >> Thank you, uh, colleagues.

Uh, the greatest baseball movie with the Bad News Bears. Uh, movies. [laughter] Dating myself. You gota they got to at least get honorable mention.

Um, this is uh this is this this is uh really exciting. I do want to also just thank you for uh alluding to there was a Jubilee Gardens in London as one of the parks you looked at. I have fond memories of uh Jubilee. It's Jubilee Garden when they redid it, I think, in the early 2000s to honor Queen Elizabeth.

But the gardens were first built in 1977. And so I have fond memories of uh that park uh in London. So it was good to see it as one of our

conversation partners. I want to um ask a couple of questions and and do some kind of e man expectation management um on this particular site. I I think this site is as important as the 505 site. I think and a lot of the same arguments that we hear and a lot of the same sensibilities are applicable to both.

there are people who feel just as passionately about the Milton Smalls building as they do this this ballpark. Um and and I I want to hold those two uh intention. Um so it's it's important that we get this right. I I want to um drill down a little bit on some of the the engagement we did and the way we asked the question because asking the question what do you want to see there is one thing.

asking a person, what do you think we should include with the baseball field is another question. Um, and the fact that the sports commission is good to see you, uh, brother Manning. Um, the sports commission had prime real estate in the actual presentation as

opposed to one of the folk kind of champing at the bit. I think kind of it it it it it at least places an emphasis on which one we're leaning towards, which is of course number one. Uh with just by virtue of their justosition in in this presentation, the way it was set up, which is fine to me. Um and I think that, you know, it's interesting to say 44% preserving the DAP's unique features while commemorating Durham's baseball history.

Doesn't necessarily say that they want baseball there. It's commemorating history and preserving the features may be one thing. But if you add 28% space activation and 28% open green space together, that's 56% of folk who may or may not be interested in having baseball there as the primary anchoring feature. So, I just want to drill down on some of the way we're framing um the discussion. Um it's interesting if the the and this will lead to my questions from the sports commission. If if a professional team becomes a tenant there, that's a

dictating tenant. Um I once tried to turn the field at Yankee Stadium into an open space. Um it didn't go well. Uh I don't I don't you need to stay in your seats because I I wanted to go on the field and they frowned upon that kind of thing.

Uh because you know professional team there are standards for maintaining the grounds and and they dictate mo not only architecturally but usage. So, we're looking at now an open space that will not be open all of the time where you can just walk through Central Park or walk through other areas in our city. Um, so I want to I want to hold that intention uh as well as we look at what we do with this space. um if it is primarily dictated to base for baseball then which would be fine but we need to be honest about what that will mean even if we try and do a multisspace kind of usage what that will mean in terms of unfettered access or or 247 access for folk um so we need to talk about that u and I also want to talk if you would um

brother Manning what Central used to play there so I want to talk about why they're not playing uh anymore and and what what improvements what we will do to to attract clients and what clients we attract because if if we're on a trajectory of trying to attract folk to use the field for sports, then by definition, we're already kind of telling folk what we're going to do with it. But I want to honor, you know, we don't want to spend money on engagement knowing that it's going to be baseball. So we we should just say that if that's going to be the case. Uh, but I do want to just get a little clarity as to why they were there and why they're not there.

>> Sure. Thank you. Marcus Manning, executive director, Durham Sports Commission. Uh, North Carolina Central's baseball team uh was cut and so they no longer exist.

Um, and so that's that's the reason why they're they're not there. So, just wanted to uh clarify that. And sorry I didn't mention that that earlier. NCCU's softball team is

the program right now that uh competes uh for their home games in Kerry. And so, just to repeat, since 2022, 50 over 50 home dates have been scheduled in Kerry. And so, right now, that's where uh that's where they play. And so, as mentioned, we would love to get them back uh to Durham.

Could it could could the current facility host them now or would they have would they have to go through upgrades in order to accommodate NCCU softball program? >> Yeah, two specific things. One is just the mound, right? And so as you the mound is static and what I mean by that, you can't you can't move and if you try to move it, there are significant costs to that.

Uh number two, uh you need a portable fence uh for softball dimensions and right now uh we don't have that uh at Durham Athletic Park. >> Right. >> So, and then number three, this is uh this is where the synthetic turf comes in. Uh the more and more you allow

different tenants and users uh as mentioned uh it could become a source of um a source where the the field itself uh is is worn down and not playable suitable especially at the collegiate level. >> Yeah. Which in informs my point and my concern that it >> as much as we may want it to be all things to all people. I just want to be very honest and transparent with folk that that by definition if if if we set a certain trajectory, it's going to have a defining effect on the facility and its accessibility. I mean, if if we're listing Central as a potential um tenant for softball and you've just enumerated some of the things that softball needs, then if we're on that path, and again, I'm not poo pooing any of the ideas. I'm just simply saying for for the sake of being transparent with our constituents and and and our residents and neighbors that certain choices will inform down the road just how accessible this place is as an open space, an activated space.

Um, and we know that, but I just want to make sure we put it out there because sometimes when we've done engagement, I think we've created expectations that, you know, folk have, if it's open, if we do two and three, it's not going to look, we're not going to have stands up there for for fans to sit and watch baseball. Um, and I think sometimes in our engagement, we've created expectations knowing full well that we already know the trajectory that we wanted to be on and be on. And I just want to save ourselves some some anxiety, you know, down the road um if we know we're headed towards preserving um take care uh preserving uh uh baseball. Um, so yeah, and I and and again the fact that the sports commission was actually part of the main presentation, I think if I were a resident just watching, that would suggest to me that, you know, potentially there may be a preference already here uh for where it's going and what it may look like, which is fine, but I I just want to put that out there uh to folk. But this is exciting. This is this is going to be one of those

generational, you know, decisions that we make as a city and I'm excited um about what we do there and uh and getting it right as with 505. So, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thanks for a great presentation.

Good to see you. >> You, too, >> Mr. Manager. >> Thank you.

Uh I wanted to acknowledge Mayor Prom's comment about the inclusion of the sports commission in the presentation and be transparent about that. Um the the circumstances to that led to that were were pretty uh straightforward. When we began the study a year ago, there were no active proposals. No one was in active discussions with the city about uh about new uses or potential uses that were far enough along that seemed credible.

This study began uh with a true sort of blank slate approach. Uh and it ends with a true blank slate approach. About two months ago, the sports commission came to city leadership to let us know that they had been approached with uh what seemed to be uh credible and serious offers and potential uses for the facility. And so as we brought this

forward, uh the the question I had to wrestle with was was that meaningful information that council would want to have in selecting uh a one of the options that you'd be asked to consider today. I felt that given that the sports commission works on behalf of the city uh and doing this type of work that it was information I wanted to put in front of you. Um I do want to indicate staff does not bring a preferred recommendation but it felt like uh the developments that the sports commission were made aware of was actionable information that the council would want to have regardless of whether or not uh you you wanted to pursue that or not. So it was it was my choice to add them to the presentation so council would have uh that awareness.

Um, but I would I want to reiterate that we are we are neutral on the options. Felt like it was information that that would be important for council to receive. Thank you. >> Absolutely, Mr.

Mr. Man. I appreciate that clarification and and I want to be clear. I wasn't suggesting in any way any chicainery or subtrafuge or anything like that. I I was just trying to listen to it as a a resident uh out there listening to it. I mean, preserve rural

derms here as well and and other uh groups, but I appreciate that explanation and take it at full uh face value. Preserve. >> Pres preservation. Uh, I'm sorry.

Preservation Durham. What did I say? >> Preserver. >> I'm on the way.

Yeah. P preservation. Pardon me. Yeah.

Thank you, Mr. Manager, for that. >> Well, thank you so much. I've enjoyed the uh the commentary on this and and all of the discussion um and and just thinking about what's possible.

I did have to step out for a moment. Uh I uh so this may have been discussed. I was I was curious why we were talking about Durham Athletic Park without parks and wreck. >> Was that Oh, yes.

Okay. All right. Uh because I you know, pardon my frankness on the choice of language here, but you know, parks cost a lot of money and most of the time they end up with some like weird looking thing like a pimple out of the ground and you really don't know what it is. And I I mean, you might find

a kid that will climb on it or whatever, but I'm sure we can do a lot better. And so I I'm just not interested in spending millions of dollars on something that just does not catch your eye when you walk past it. Um, and as I've said before, you know, folks come to me all the time. They're talking about Car's Park downtown.

Uh, talking about the new, uh, play park in Raleigh. Uh I I appreciate them finishing those projects. Um but you know um I think that you know the fact that we still have so much opportunity and upward you know growth that we have an opportunity to outdo them and I'm just prideful and competitive that way. Um so kudos to Raleigh and Carrie but I don't care.

I care about Durham and we have an opportunity to just do something so amazing here. Uh, and I do think that we can um I I don't think our history has to be replaced. I think our history can be uh

expanded. I think that we can we can we can be historic while celebrating our history. Uh, and so I think that whatever that looks like, you know, it could be some type of active public park space that convenes people, have concerts, but also, you know, celebrate our history. This isn't an amenity in my eyes.

Uh, it's an amenity. Uh, not I mean, actually, it's so much more than just the Durham Athletic Park. uh those buildings around it, you know, that that movie you were talking about, Bull Durham, there were there are buildings around it where you know like scenes from that movie are actually in the building themselves. You go in to um some of the measurement inc buildings and and you can see the locker room.

The locker room actually in the [clears throat] movie wasn't in the field. It was in the building right up the street. Um so there is so much history in that part of Durham. I think

that it's very possible to have a museum community uh that that you know that encompasses the 10 acres collectively still have an active um an active you know field while also I mean living and walking within an actual museum and park. Uh so I I think that we should think big on it. Um, I had questions, uh, you know, about, you know, uh, if we're going to talk about a park, then I would assume parks and recck would be a part of that. Uh, because and I, and you all may, I don't know, director Walcott, you all may have been a part of it.

I'm not going to assume. I just didn't see you speak at the mic. So, um, um, the [clears throat] other thing is the funding of it. Um, I just, this may sound ignorant for me, but I'm okay with that. But in government speak, we tend I'm just being honest. I mean, guys, we we saw the picket road situation, the boardwalk, it was a $400,000 estimate, but when it got

1 million. I just don't understand it. So, the inflation of cost when it comes to engaging the government just baffles me every single time. So, I would love to see what type of creative funding structures um you know uh that we could do.

Uh and this sounds way off base, but follow me here. There's an Indian temple right in Morrisville off Aviation Parkway. It's one of the most beautiful facilities in the area. They built that.

They came together as members of that temple, as people, and they built that beautiful temple. I have no idea why when it comes to government, we don't even think twice about the cost. We just say this is the cost $100 million and just go with it. Uh so I hope that we can start being a bit more agile and and a bit more flexible in how we fund things. you know, if it means a portion is tax base and another portion is the community coming together, you know, to to f I mean, I don't know, take a Habitat for

Humanity approach to building the Dangle Park where people come together. Give us the assignments, give us the hard hats and the shovels and put us to work. Um, I'd love to be I'd love to, you know, explore interest in what that would look like rather than just the high cost of finding a general contractor to come in and do it. And we have a whole Duke University Pratt School of Engineering that could also uh get involved as well.

And those kids want to be more involved. Uh biasly my son went to Iswatini and in Swisilland inside of South Africa. They built the longest foot bridge in the entire country over there. 14 kids who just wanted to go and Duke said, "You know what?

We'll take care of it. " And they would they just wanted to save kids lives from drowning in a river. So, I just want us to be really creative in how we can build public assets rather than just doing it the traditional government way that would tax the the tax base with 40 to $80 million. Like that that just baffles me. And and

usually what you get out of it is is a metal horsehaped bar on some turf, you know. So, I I I um I don't know. I I that is the way the community will perceive it. And and I think that we can find a way to be a bit more creative in that.

The uh the other thing is uh you know, and this is partly on me. I like nice things, but I think we have to do a really good job at defining what nice is and not just putting one of those weird looking fixtures and say this is public art. Like let's be intentional and let's be bold about our creativity. Um, and lastly, I what I keep front of mind is the uh the economic and cultural wow factor.

What does that look like? You know, uh, and so I I don't I don't think with barriers and bureaucracy in mind first. I think creativity and limitless uh, innovation in mind and we work backwards from there. So that's going to be my contribution to this. And if we

come back with, you know, I don't know, some presentation of a display and it says $80 million to put a tarp on the field, which I know is like 200k, but I I know there's a lot of engineering and all of that stuff, but folks, I never forget light rail where we spend $150 million in design and consulting and a shovel never hit the ground. That will not happen here. Okay. So, take it for what it's worth.

It may sound ignorant. It may sound off base, but let's figure it out. >> Uh, mayor staff would welcome some direction on if council has a preference from the three design uh directions that were presented today. It would be helpful for us. Uh, obviously, we don't have any immediate plans to move to development. uh but uh understanding if there's a consensus on council or a majority on council uh would help us to evaluate future opportunities to lean

into the direction you just gave us. Um and those are three different visions for the park. So uh eliminating uh eliminating options and focusing in on one of them would certainly help us to be more creative about how to move it forward. >> All right, I'll be honest with you colleagues.

Uh I don't know if I saw an option uh out of the three. If I was to choose one of those, it would be option one. Um but I I I just think that we we're still I'd love to hear more contribution from the people who do parks. I'd love to hear more contribution from, you know, all those plans that we saw in the beginning.

Durham Durham does a really good job of coming up with plans. And I'd love to see more of the collaboration of what all those plans could produce if all those plans were to come together and produce one thing. What would that look like? Um I in my mind I'm saying, you know, from Central Park all the way out all the way down to the DAP and and uh and engaging all of what's around. We have all of those

beautiful historic buildings that could be activated. I mean, I don't know. Put a hotel in one of them. Put a a grocery store in one of them.

Put some an entertainment district. Uh it's just so much more that could go there. And I just don't want to think in a limited way. Uh so if I had to choose one, I would say number one.

Um but I think I'm thinking about all of what's going on from from um uh what is that? uh Foster Street all the way up to the YMCA area all the way to uh over where Sauna House is and [clears throat] where um Blue Note Grill is and and all in between from um Morgan Morris Street and Liberty Apartments in the food hall. I'm thinking about that big block there and and I just love to see I know we just did a feasibility study. We also did one before that further up. Uh when I first got on council and we just heard that that was about the uh innovation and convention center. Uh so I just want to be able to

put all of that together and then see what an option would look like. That's if we went back and did that. But from what I see today, number one would preserve our history and we could build around that. >> Um thanks your honor.

I um I'm looking at the timeline, the project schedule um and between November. So I'm I'm assuming that light Oh, talking like somebody up there. Uh I'm assuming that the light blue is is indicates what's next. And I'm seeing more engagement in economic analysis.

And I'm wondering if if is this the time for us to telegraph choices? I don't want to short circuit further engagement or economic analysis. So just want to keep fidelity with the schedule that's before us. Yeah, I think we're really looking >> is on Hey, Stacy.

Um, I think we're looking for some direction to be able to do those sort of next phases. So, if there's a strong bias towards one of those three concept, it would really help inform the next phasings that would be in in in the queue. >> So, the I I just want to make sure I'm

reading this right. So, the engagement would be around what we've chosen and the and the Okay, I see what you're further development of one of the phases and full of economic development around one of one of the concepts. So if we could, you know, going from three to two or going from two to one would give us some direction about where we might be headed with this. >> Got you.

Mr. Mayor, just forformational purposes, the clerk has informed me that we have a couple of speakers on this item who we couldn't accommodate for technical reasons earlier. So, however you want to proceed, sir. >> Okay.

Um, let me go back to my that was on the paper, right? Wendy Howard. >> Okay. Rivica was in person.

Okay. Wendy Hower and and Ashley Thomas. Um Wendy, can you hear me? Wendy, can you hear me? Uh what about Ashley? Ashley Thomas, can

you hear me? Mr. Mayor, I don't see an Ashley Thomas in the queue. >> Do you see Wendy?

>> Wendy's there, but I cannot hear her. >> Wendy, are you able to activate the chat to let us know that you can hear us? >> She is speaking. All right, let's uh let's test this. We were having some technical issues. So, Wendy, I'm going to ask you that you speak now.

See if we can hear you. >> Am I getting dog? I'm supposed to be speak at the meeting. They're late.

Can you >> I have to keep it on. >> Wendy, could you say that again? >> Hello. >> All right, Wendy, can you hear me?

Hang on. >> I hear you. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes, ma'am.

Go ahead. You have three minutes. >> Okay. Well, I'm not going to need three minutes.

Um, I've been listening very carefully. I'm very excited about what everyone has talked about. Um, I think the most important thing is to think of the connectivity of the green spaces. And so, I'm a board member of Durham Central Park. I've lived in Durham for 27 years and I really um I'm most

excited when people acknowledge that Durham Central Park the ball the old ballpark are just separated by one little street and should be considered all together and not separate. So that's all I wanted to thank you. >> [snorts] >> I thought, did I hear the pe the speakers? Did I hear the speaker say we uh she wanted to turn one of those that one street into pedestrian?

No, she didn't say that. Okay. I'm just trying to sneak it on the record. Okay.

All right. All right. Um [clears throat] Okay. So, those are all of my speakers.

Oh, is she is she on Ashley? >> No, Mr. Mayor, there's one more who signed up for citizens matters and it's Michael Reeves. >> Is it on this item?

>> No. >> Okay, let me come back. Okay, let me just stay germaine to this one while we're here. >> Um, so, uh, colleagues, there's direction needed to move forward.

U, I have a question about that, Stacy. So, so let's say we gave you option number one or or whatever option. Are you all able to still consider everything that's around it? Um, or is it like what what does next if we say option one, what does next steps look like?

Because I and I'm trying not to have us beholding to just, you know, just one space or just a plot of land. >> Yeah. So, good question. Turn that on.

>> Good question. Um, so if we say option one and if we think about inclusion of the activities identified from the sports commission, we would be exploring sort of what standards for a professional sports league would be necessary in that framework. That would

be a foundational element. not just what design would have to happen on the front for that to occur, but what what framework of the agreement might that look like and what ongoing maintenance costs would have to be embedded into that and what that what standards might be. So for the Durham Bulls athletic park that currently exists, you know, we've got to keep pace with whatever minor league baseball requires us to do in sort of those. So we'd have to understand what that framework was to be able to sort of put that analysis and cost together before you all to to present that to you.

um if festivals and events sort of gets embedded into that as long in addition to the sort of the concept one work. Um if the direction is also to consider taking down those fences sort of permanently and then we need to have a professional sports activity go up. You know the framework of all those pieces together we would have to sort of go back and do some tighter analysis on that and some more design work to sort of figure out if we could incorporate all of those things together and sort of concept one or whether concept two one gets broken into kind of a couple of pieces for you to consider. I think it feels like that might be an appropriate sort of framing.

Dana's giving me the nod, so I think I might be on the right track here. >> Um, >> and I would add to that, you know, I want to emphasize if you go back and look at, you know, option one that there were a number of recommendations in option one beyond just preserving the sports use of the ballpark that I think uh, Perkinsville did an excellent job talking about how that could be enhanced as a community asset, how the whole facility could be used on a more regular basis. I think for me a a pivotal reason why we're pushing for direction is should council prefer option two or three, it would preclude us uh and we would want to give clear direction to the sports author the the sports commission that the the option of using it for professional sports would be off the table in options two or three. Options two or three eliminated the playability of a professional sports place.

So, I think the decision point for council would help give clarity to to those partners that that the council would not be interested in moving forward. Um, and that's part of why I'm pushing for it. But I want to be clear

that there is more visioning about how if you were to move forward with option one, um, you know, certainly to your point, mayor, about how this relates to the broader area, all the comments about how it might complement Durham Central Park, those are not, you know, those are not exclusive to proposals that develop this as a park. There's a lot of usable land that is not directly within the fence line. Uh that I think is very much open for further development and discussion based on all the principles and feedback you've sought. >> And and quick question, corporation, is that ours or is that state?

>> Ours. >> We own the corporation. >> He's asking about the street. >> I do not know but I I I will >> Okay.

>> Defer to my >> Sean. Is corporation street ours? >> I think so. >> Yeah.

>> Okay. Yeah. Um, and yeah, pretty much. Uh, and and the reason why I'm asking these questions, I mean, you know, I think about the level of revenue a sports team would generate,

and I I haven't seen a lot of revenue generated from softball, but that's not to say that it couldn't, right? uh they would bring probably a a concentrated base or following that also would provide an activity for us to really galvanize around um but I do think about what would be the supplemental economic impact to sustain that area um beyond I mean the Bulls does a great job $545 million you know in in in revenue uh it it makes the economic case but you also see what happens what's happened around the bulls it's built up with sus supportive or supplemental economic activity. So I I would you know I appreciate the bio focus the uh you know the the the green space focus but I'm always thinking about also in addition to that how do we activate people in those areas and they have to have somewhere to go somewhere to convene and somewhere to spend uh to make it make

sense and I think that is how we could sustain the culture uh appreciate the history make more history uh and and also pay for it. So that that's my colleagues. That's my holistic view of trying to honor the past, make it make sense for the present, and be innovative and bold on the future. >> Anybody else?

>> Yeah, just real quick question. Um, just a so so and I'm glad to hear thank you for the clarification, Mr. Manager, that you know, the connectivity to Central Park, it still exists with option one. I'm the word has got and it's in red potential tenants and you know the tension between if is this is is this a if we build it they will come or are we going to identify the tenant first before we pour all this money into bringing it up to code for you know are we going to spend all this money and bring it up to code and then go shopping for I mean we've already got a significant baseball presence in Durham the Durham Bulls is a

nationally recognized treasure um do we want to pass the die on another and when we say professional, are we talking about another minor league? Are we talking Major League Baseball? Or, you know, what level of professionalism are we talking about in the city that already has a celebrated baseball team? And how much money do we put into bringing this place up to code in the hopes that we'll get somebody to bite?

And if suppose it's central to the mayor's point, is is softball enough of an economic inducement to poor money into getting it up to code possibly denying ourselves some of the other options that two or three might provide. You know, you you understand what I'm asking, so go ahead. >> Absolutely. Marcus Manning, executive director, Durham Sports Commission. Um, first question, uh, as it relates to NCCU and and and softball, just soft collegiate softball alone, uh, [clears throat] is not going to generate the type of revenue that we're that we're thinking. Uh, and that's why we

talked about three different potential tenants. I will say and uh, I did connect with the professional league. We are having significant conversations and and I did ask the professional league how much could I share today and and uh their PR team uh did come back and say because this is a public forum uh we need to keep it at a high level those conversations are significant and >> when you say the prof are you talking MLDD are we talking >> it's it's it's we have to keep it general at this point >> okay >> okay uh but I will say it's it's it's >> once we start spending money, we got to get Pacific though. So, >> abs absolutely.

Uh we we do I will say we do anticipate an announcement here uh hopefully by the end of this month or early early next month. And again, um it it is pretty pretty significant. The the

other thing I do want to mention the uh the baseball academy again a lot of conversations around that. uh they are growing uh their membership they want to get into the softball space as I mentioned uh in the presentation uh they do have partners as well u both on a professional side and a apparel partner they've talked about the potential of what it could be in terms of investing uh in assisting in in upgrades again want to keep that conversation uh at a high level um But again, those have been significant conversations uh as well. >> All right, >> I'll put five on it. >> Just one last question.

Um the uh the feasibility studies that have been done in the area and all of those plans. Is all of that information going to be collected and used in this as well? Okay. I was asking my bad.

>> Her answer is yes. >> Thank you. U Javier. Yep.

I I have to go here in a second. I would say my preference is number one because that was the question that was asked of us. Um I think that we can get what we want. Uh we can activate space.

I'm going to say it now. I want to close Corporation Street. >> I I think we agree on that. Um >> that's for staff.

>> Nate, say you agree. >> I see you, Director Egan. >> Um we uh I think we have consensus on number one based on what I've heard. uh polling.

Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Go ahead. >> Yeah. I just want to add um circling back to uh great design and how design can be um uh a solution to so many of our problems. Um just looking at ways of making this as adaptable uh as possible so that it can change from one thing to the next um from day to day as as needed

and as desired and make it accessible and at the same time some something that could be used for baseball or for other sports um depending upon the day um that can be open that can be closed that can be used for uh concerts and other events. I think whatever design solutions we can come up with would be this would be the place to do it. So >> did you did you when you whispered and said you want to also close corporation did you say that? [laughter] >> Thanks Mr.

Mayor. Um yeah in in response to what Council Baker just said I think the maximum flexibility is is valuable here important. I mean I remember conversation going back to when Steve Schu was mayor about like baseball and and soccer there. I'd love and I think I think I think Miss Howard mentions in soccer as a potential use as well. So I think those are all exciting things. It's also worth noting that if you look at those I know that the cost estimates are pretty broad there but the res preservation restoration depending on where you are could be the also the least costly especially if there's partners there that are going to help us

do this and I think um Mr. Manny also maybe mentioned that that that could be part of the partnership with with the folks who are interested. So I think those to me all sound good. So I'm a one.

>> I think we have direction. I'll just uh reiterate for for all purposes, you have not directed us to spend any money. You have not blessed any renovation designs or projects. You have simply given us direction on kind of how to focus in and narrow our options.

All all decisions about the the DAP will be coming before future councils uh for consideration and direction. So, this this just helps us kind of focus in on a design concept that you're willing for us to pursue. >> Thank you so much. All right.

Uh Stacy, we're good. All right. Go big or go home. [laughter] It's all in.

Thank you all. All right. Next item. >> Item number 10.

>> That's you, Wade. >> Thank you. >> We had the DPR army walk up in here. Annual report.

>> Good afternoon, [sighs and gasps] Mayor Williams, Mayor Pro 10, members of council, manager Ferguson. Uh, I was wondering if the council will indulge uh considering u the Sandlot to be also in the top five of baseball movies. We have consensus. Okay, good.

Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. So again, Wade Wal with your parks and recreation department.

Uh thank you for the opportunity. Uh this is not an action item. We don't need a thumbs up or thumbs down. uh thank the manager for uh suggesting this and allowing time for

us to talk about our annual report today. And we're going to go through our annual report and then we're going to tie it into the rest of the city's plans and how they integrate all the way down to a team member uh level. And so want to thank you for that. I want you to know every day our team works to create fun, enriching, inclusive experiences and spaces that build a safer and healthier bull city.

And today I want to bring you a little bit more into that work. So today's presentation reflects not just what we've accomplished, but also how we serve with intention and a deep commitment to the well-being of our residents. You'll see our work is broader and more interconnected than most people realize. From youth and teen development to trail maintenance, from aquatic safety to therapeutic recreation, from sports and festival tourism to historic landfill redevelopment, from public engagement to major capital planning. You'll also see how we integrate our work year round across the city's strategic plan, our

departmental plan, staff goals, and our missions and values. But most importantly, you're going to see the human impact, the mission moments, the successes, the ways staff across the way staff across the department lead through service to create a safer and healthier healthier Bull City. I've been lucky enough to be in front of you many, many times talking about a lot of different topics. And I was telling my team earlier, I don't think I've ever been too nervous to do that except for today.

And I don't know why that is. So I think mainly it's because we have so many of our team members here. There's many many more that aren't here today and so I think it's them behind me. I just don't want to let them down.

So I think that's what's been uh on my on my mind. So the goals of this presentation um we're going to highlight the positive impact DPR has had on the community and well-being. And keep in mind this was our last fiscal year. So 24 25. You're going to see in our slides, you're going to see mission moments, participation data, and program growth to show the

real human impact. You're going to see the depth and breadth and diversity of our work, much of which is often invisible. We're going to illustrate our unique, intentional, yearround integration of plans, mission, and values. We're going to demonstrate our servant leadership both in culture and practice.

You're going to see examples of staff going above and beyond for residents. We're going to highlight how servant leadership shapes our decisions and priorities and partnerships and daily actions. And we want to strengthen your understanding of how DPR is advancing equity and access. How we serve in high priority equity investment areas.

We create safer spaces particularly for youth and vulnerable residents. and we want to demonstrate our role as a key contributor to citywide priorities. And the last couple goals for this presentation is we want to recognize I want to recognize and elevate and celebrate our team members. You're going to see the passion, the professionalism,

the creativity and compassion behind the numbers. We're going to use these mission moments and staff quotes in here to reinforce the dedication of employees have across our divisions. And we're in our second century. We're starting our 101st year and we want to demonstrate that we are a thoughtful steward of our public resources both in the past, the present, and the future.

So, anyone recognize this picture? >> So, yep, that's that's Wheels. So, that was a a huge u benefit for us in the community and accomplishment this last year of reopening wheels. Um, we also were extremely happy about the $85 million vote of confidence our residents had.

Over 75% of them said that they trust in parks and understand the benefits that they provide and voted for that. And you heard an update I think just a couple weeks ago. We're also very lucky to have a great recreation advisory commission. Council member Ris sits on there as the liaison and we're

grateful for his advocacy and support and we couldn't do it without you. So by the numbers you can see what our mission is. You can see what our values are. I think I may have mentioned once before what one of the things we're really proud about our mission and values is how they were created.

They were not created by me. They were not created by a select few uh assistant directors. But they were a long process that included the entire department had an opportunity to weigh in and decide what is our purpose and what do we value. not leadership talking down and saying this is what you value, get on board.

It was this is what what we collectively see as values. And you can see by the numbers over the past year some dramatic transformations in your park system. Uh over the fa last five years, our parks are transforming. They're improving. They're becoming more accessible and we're being more thoughtful in our approach from the very beginning. And we're looking at parks comprehensively from the design to the

outcome. And you can see we've had over 20,000 attendees in all of our special events last year. And we're increasing our sponsorship dollars and we're increasing our memberships which are free for our my Durham program as well. So, some of the behind the scenes uh folks that don't get a lot of attention, but parks and recreation does have business as well.

And our business services division, these were the objectives that they were able to meet over the past year. A lot of it, their concentration was recruitment and hiring strategies and how do we retain those folks and and the other part was training and having a lot more training in our staff so they feel confident that they can do their job successfully. Another section is our culture and community team. Their primary focus is to improve engagement uh with within our department and within the community and improve communication within our department and within our community. So, we love working with the engagement

department. We love working with Amy and their and their team as well to make sure we're making as many impactful uh messages across the board about our projects. So some of the highlights here uh that they were able to accomplish, one we're really proud of is our pulse team or pulse committee. So that's peers united in leadership, service and equity.

And so many private organizations will have, you know, a board of directors and many of those board of directors are usually folks that have had uh 25 plus years um and they all have similar sometimes demographic and perspective. So we wanted to take that concept from the private sector and think about how we can integrate a shadow board if you will and the public sector, but it was made up of folks that don't normally have a voice or a platform to influence department policy or practice. So this team is made up of folks that generally are not supervisors and generally don't have a platform to weigh in on

department policies or practice. And over the last year or so that that committee was formed. They meet regularly and talk about um different policies or different practices that can influence the department that may be different from our own perspective, giving everyone an opportunity to weigh in on their department. The other um the other part I'll highlight here that I mentioned earlier is this team, the culture and community team really launched a a branding exercise and became very brave and asking both our internal our team members but also the public at large of what do you think of us?

And so we put together a long list of human characteristics and we asked people to select pick your top five or seven of those characteristics and and where do you think we are right now and what top seven characteristics characteristics would you like to be? Where would you like DPR to be? And we

did the same thing with the public. And so throughout that process uh we were able to take that list of where you think we are to where where we want to go and cross reference those and turn those into action items and those over time evolved into the values. So really proud of the work that we did with that regard. Now one thing that everyone does think about when they think of parks and recreation is our community recreation services division. So, of course, that's our um recreation centers, it's our athletic programs, it's Aqua Force, it's our outdoor education, and you can see a lot of the improvements over the the last year that we're really proud of of these health hubs of a community consortium at WD Hill, trying to get more community health uh programs available there. We've increased our outdoor recreation programming and we are really focusing on how can we evolve and increase numbers in our afterchool programs or summer camps and our teen programs

and you're going to hear a little bit more later about the inclusion aspect that we added to those programs. So, we have our recreation centers and some of the items here and I won't read through each one but some of these you'll see some of the highlights and again uh the language that you're going to see here are from our team members and so we asked them what was your biggest success or what your mission moment was and this is what they reported out and so a lot of what you'll see here are different partnerships uh some of the events uh whether it's a high school or nonprofit that we're always working with the community And this uh the bottom Edison Johnson is actually uh that should be Holton. And we talk about our our Holton Community Recreation Center. That mission moment was highlighting all of our senior games and o uh opening ceremonies and closing ceremonies. And it is really a rewarding thing to to work with so many of those seniors in the senior games and also surprisingly reminded of how competitive

folks still are. Uh we also had a highlight there at IR homes or campus hills uh working with Trey Murphy the NBA player and giving back to his community. And let's just not forget how great some of these pictures are. This really captures the impacts that our folks that work in these centers have.

again, Weaver Street, you can talk about some of their their mission moments that they talked um that they recognized and creating really a safe space for youth and mainly teens to be teens and and to have a safer place to go in the Cornwallis community. And I can't say enough about our folks in all of our rec centers. Um, but I'd also do a special shout out to the folks that work at Weaver Street and also WD Hill, um, for the work they do that goes above and beyond what their job description is of serving our community. And you can see our last couple here at Lion Hill and or combine the two, WD

Hill and Lion Park, the community uh, health hub that we're doing there. Um, and our prostrate health support group. And we can also see some of the programs that our uh folks are really proud proud of at Lion Park. The picture is our u example of a transformation of our playgrounds and that is our newest playground ne or our new playground next to WD Hill.

You can see the surface is a new standard to make folks to make it more accessible along with our features and shade structures are incorporated. So, we talk about um the emphasis on taking care of our vulnerable populations, our youth, our teens. And that was an uh a big improvement this past year with the amount of participants involved in the mym program or the my dome I'm sorry, my derm teen zone rebranding. Um, and if you'll take a look and you have attached the whole annual report, but you'll see some of

the memories and experiences that we were able to provide and give these folks and these young folks that have not had these experiences before. So, for example, going to the the tree houses in Windsor, North Carolina, where many of them tried canoeing for the first time and now uh sparked a a long a lifelong interest in that activity. Most folks thought they were going to be uh drowned or be attacked by a bear at first, but once we got there, staff did a great job and and folks had had an amazing time. >> I'm from I'm from there.

Next time I can let them know that >> Yeah, >> it's possible. It won't it won't happen. >> Well, I'm glad you weren't there. Okay.

We It took a long time for them to get calmed down. So, another big highlight for us is our specialized recreation and and making sure that we're having as many inclusive programs and facilities as possible. Um, and so you can see some of the biggest mission moments this year in that area is is one of our participants who really

was struggling with being involved. And because of the expertise and the training of our staff and their commitment, they can get folks involved and included and shortly after they're they're having a great time uh with everyone involved. Uh our team did a great job with that with our summer camp programs, too. if language was a barrier or any other kind of um physical or mental barrier, our team went above and beyond to make sure accommodations were made and so every child could participate to their their full capability.

We talked about school age care and I know we've talked about this with our our our county uh friends as well. Um, this is a priority, continues to be a priority for us. Very proud of our team. Whether it's for teens, whether it's for our afterchool programs or summer camps, every year we're trying different recruitment methods.

We're trying different retainment methods. We're doing excellent training. And we're also

uh cross-training all of our team members and all of our recreation centers so we can have more staff available so we can keep increasing the enrollments of these programs. And of course uh we're reducing greatly any barriers which include like I mentioned abilitywise but primarily uh financial barriers are being removed and so there are very little if any barriers that allow um our our youth to participate in our programs especially summer camp and after school. Aquaforce or better known as uh aquatics uh they made some great improvements this year. We have increased our swim lessons.

Um we increased the hours of our indoor and outdoor pools last summer. So very proud of that team. Um and our inhouse training and keeping our folks keep coming back every year because we know how hard it is uh to get lifeguards and to keep them coming back. So another major division that we have is our park planning and development

division. Uh this is the group that is doing a lot of our park system plan, our comp plan that you've adopted previously. Uh this is about also uh their work and planning and the design process for our park improvement projects and comprehensively looking at all of them from um not just looking at a playground but looking at the the entrance, the beautifification to make sure that when folks arrive at a Durham Park, they have a sense of arrival. they feel safe um and and brand new or improved amenities and taking care of all the little things to make sure people feel welcomed.

That uh a big example of that was Sherwood Park uh just a few weeks ago. U and thanks a lot to general services department and their partnership with that of building a brand new playground as a centerpiece. Um we have a new athletic field there. We have new accessible trails. We have new pickle ball courts and a lot of improvement. And we were so thrilled with the turnout that night and so many

" And so now we got a lot of people coming in. Our maintenance operations team did a great job with beautifification at the entrance um with the planting and landscaping. So that is the standard that we're doing and incorporating in all of our parks, all 66 parks across the city. As a branch of our park planning and op uh park planning and development, we have our our folks that are park maintenance operations.

They're the ones that are are doing the mowing, keeping our parks litter free. They're cleaning all the walks when it snows. They are helping with all the um synthetic turf replacements. They're doing a lot of the beautifification and sept improvements, our crime prevention through environmental design. Um, and they're a huge partner uh with us for the annual mayor's corporate challenge with our parks foundation where all the different companies and corporations around Durham

descend on a park of their choosing in spring and really make each one of those come come alive. One of the their mission moments uh very proud uh to be a part of their team is uh earlier or last fiscal year uh they noticed a family in distress and in their parking lot and they approached them to ask them if they could help and they found out that they they had some they had some troubles they were going through but they also currently had a flat tire. our team started calling around um reached into their pockets and got found a cost of a new tire, were able to change the tire and then they connected them with the heart team and and we have lots of examples of folks like that, but uh our folks very proud to be a part of that team and this is a good example of the type of work they do. So, we have our annual report, but we've

got all these other reports. And I know you guys went through a brief 15inute strategic plan meeting, I think, recently. Um, so how does all this play together? What is the alignment?

Some would say, so one of the things we're really proud of, so we are, of course, the feel-good department, right? We do a lot of good things. People feel good. We help health and wellness but at the same time we also can take a strategic business approach and we have a business plan and one of the things we're proud about is having a connection between all of them.

So we have the city strategic plan which and and now we have the the department comprehensive plan. So that's around 10 years. And then based on those two things, we develop our strategic business plan, our three-year strategic business plan that takes elements out of the the former two. Then every year we develop an annual work plan of what we're going to accomplish with goals, objectives, and KPIs.

All of those work plan elements, goals, objectives, and KPIs, then translate down to an individual team member level. And so that goes to their smart goals and that goes to their performance of value performance evaluation and then those touch on the core values I talked about that our team developed. So to illustrate this we have our city strategic plan goals. Then we have develop objectives underneath.

So what are the objectives that touch on each one of those goals? And those goals are made up from our comp plan and our three-year strategic business plan. So we identify those and so there's synergy with those. The next step is breaking it down into the what is the actual objective. And under the objective we have those measures, the key performance indicators. And so from a granular level all the way back up, we can see it through and we can connect these KPIs to

individual team members, performance evaluations, and smart goals. So at the end of the day, regardless of the position or title that you have or what level you are in our department, you're attached to it. And if you look in the orange box there, you'll see a little icon. Looks like some different colored hands.

We also were intentional in coding um each one of the KPIs with one of our values. So you can see through and through the connection between all the plans all the way down to the values all the way down to the per performance goals of our individual team members. And so if you're a team member and regardless if you're doing our payroll, if you're helping uh install new trash cans, if you're working at a dog park, if you're helping out with a special event or leading that, you're connected. And once you realize that your connection not only touches on our

annual work plan, but our three-year strategic business plan, which connects to the city strategic plan, which connects to a 10-year comprehensive park system plan that will impact the lives of millions, then you realize you're a part of something bigger than yourself. And although we don't every day hold hands and sing songs all the way to work and skip into work, we do realize we're a part of something bigger than ourselves. And when those days happen and we know that work we're working with like-minded people and we get to serve folks and make an impact in other people's lives, there are times that we may want to run through a brick wall to come to work. And it's a great it's great to be a part of that team.

And so this is just another illustration of the connect the time and dedication it takes all of our team to make these connections and that they're intentional and that they matter. And this is who we are. So whether we're planning for our engagement activities

um with our community or with each other to build morale and to strengthen our culture or we're planning how we can get more folks to join DPR or we're developing new parks, we're working together. We're a diverse group that does a lot of diverse things. So, just want to thank you council for your continued support for our department. We're proud of the progress we've made this year and we remain equally committed to improving where our community needs us to grow.

What you've seen in this presentation reflects not only programs and projects, but a team that leads through service, works with intention, and connects every action to our mission, our values, and the city's larger goals. We truly and genuinely are honored to help build a safer, healthier, more connected Bull City. And we look forward to continuing this work together. And almost every work session and every meeting, we're talking about parks. The previous presentation, we

talked about parks. The work session before that, we're talking about an update of transformational uh $85 million bond projects for parks. And so, as we just heard from our our friends and colleagues um about the DAP and the potential there um or our trails downtown or a trail from here to Roxboro coming in the future in five or less years, a lot of our parks are improving or going to be improved or coming online. So, we welcome the opportunity to be back in front of you sometime to have those conversations about the operational aspect of all these new great amenities and the creative public private partnerships that we can explore to manage these parks and and to work together.

So, thank you again for the opportunity. Thank you, St. Manager Ferguson, for the opportunity to to be able to share uh our annual report. >> Thank you so much. Um,

you know, a true a true leader is is one who um you can really see their value through their staff and I know I've personally engaged with your team and uh on many occasions and uh and just you know it's I don't know it just always feels like family and really appreciate all of you all and uh director thank you for your leadership. Thank you. Uh you all are your department is something that's talked about a lot on the campaign trails because what community members care most about and you always hear we need to expand the hours. You guys are already doing a lot of what people cry about and yell about and scream about and and just desire and yearn for.

Um so just thank you for listening and and I hope that we can continue to really highlight uh the work that you all are already doing. >> Thank [clears throat] you. uh we couldn't do anything that we're doing without all the other departments support. We work with all of them. Um so we definitely don't operate in a silo. I

I can mention some departments but it is every department. We work a lot obviously with general services, the police department and community safety uh to name some of the primary ones. And as we look to the future and any expansion or any development in a park, um I'm on the phone with the director of community safety, Ryan Smith, or his assistant director, U Anise, and talking about what their involvement could, should may look like in our parks as well. >> Awesome.

Colleagues, >> just real quick, thanks uh director walk up for the presentation. I got to be careful. " So, like, it's my favorite [clears throat] one. Um, but thank you.

Thank you all for being here, too, Steph. Um, this is I'll just say briefly, this is a first class report. Um, and it speaks for itself, but I think not only is this a department of fund, but you really you're showing how this is a professionally managed department, which really makes a huge

impact on us here on the council. the fact that you're connecting like the overall city strategic plan to your comprehensive system plan, three-year annual plans and sort of KPIs and benchmarks and goals and objectives. It's really great stuff. And so I love the the blend of sort of the fun but also the really tight tight professional management.

Um because this is an important part, as the mayor said, a really important part of how citizens experience a city is through the parks and rec department. So thanks for your leadership and for your team here. So appreciate it. Go ahead.

Thank you, uh, Director Walcott, and thank you, um, to to everyone from Parks and Recreation who has come here today. Uh, we really, really appreciate your work. Um, I'm going to echo something that I've heard, uh, Mayor Prom Middleton say, which is that our parks are our most our city's most egalitarian spaces and really our societ in many ways our society's most egalitarian spaces. Um when uh couple questions here. Uh when

um I remember when we got the presentation of the parks and recreation master plan um which is a beautiful and very accessible document. Um, one thing that I thought was really special about Durham compared to our peers is the proportion of our parks and spending that goes towards programming um, and making sure that we're doing things with especially with young people in our city. So, if we think about a goal, like a really key goal is to make sure that all young people in Durham have access, reasonable access to fun and engaging and educational and enriching uh activities outside of school hours um before school, after school, weekends, and summertime. How do you feel we're doing in that um space?

Do you think we're doing well? um you know do you think that to to realistically get there we'd need more resources? Uh I just

curious about your take on that. >> Yes. And so yes and we uh in terms of understanding where we are with a lot of our out of school time resources uh council member and a member another member of our commission we have been talking recently and we're going to launch a out of school time study. I think this was brought up at a city county >> uh work meeting city county comm about that.

Yes. So we've contacted um talked with the person that that did the previous one I think is in Wake County. So we're going to launch that. So that will help us the whole community city county regardless of your your jurisdiction understand where we are and what we need to do.

>> That's perfect. I'm I'm so glad we're doing that. Can you tell me the timeline and who's uh spearheading that? >> I I can't only because I don't know the timeline yet. Um we just started talking

about that and so right now it'll come from our department and I I forget I don't know if you remember council member but it was like I want to say the extension office was >> extension. Yeah. >> Assisting with us. Yes.

Same person. Yeah. Um, next question. Um, I think it's so important that that we infuse parks into into our neighborhoods and make them these central and celebrated civic spaces.

Um, there are two cities, to my knowledge, there are two cities that have successfully reached 100% resident accessibility um within a 5minute walk of of parks. I'm wondering how you think we might be doing with a goal of maybe like a 10-minute walk of parks. Um, you know, if that's a reasonable goal in your mind, if it's possible, and if you think we're moving toward that goal or or away from that goal and what you think we might need to do to

>> Sure. I would need some help from my colleagues um to understand how reasonable and how close to 100% we could get just based on infrastructure of the city and placement. Ex. Yeah, exactly.

We are definitely moving toward that um and becoming better at that in that 10-minute walk radius. When you mentioned that Ann mentioned resources, that is going to be a priority of ours moving forward. And I mentioned that earlier in my comments about the future of Durham, the future of parks and the expansion of those. We're doing a good job now of redoing and fixing up uh a lot of our existing parks, but we'll know we'll need to be creative in how we acquire resources to get access to more land and what those part and how that can happen and also resources um from team members to be able to maintain and take care of all these new assets. And that may not always be on from the city, but it could

also look we could look at public private partnerships and h how those resources are managed and maintained. And that is key to have them maintained at a high quality. We're doing everything right now, whether they're new or redoing them at a extremely high standard and high quality. And we must keep those maintained at a high quality for years and generations to come.

Great. And then um last question, the the land and the parks. Um can you just get remind us the timeline of when we're supposed to get the next set of testing results back from NCDEQ um so that we can you sort of start thinking about next steps and redesign and upgrade? Uh, I believe that it's still I haven't heard anything different from the state when they've said the end of the calendar year.

>> Great. Thank you. Two plugs. Um, I have a new daughter and so I've been thinking

a lot and visiting places. Um, and uh playgrounds with with seats and [laughter] we've been going to a playground and there's no there's no uh there's no benches. Um, and you just become painfully aware. Mhm.

>> Um and then um I'm a broken record on this, but but I I'd love to see, you know, kind of our our first kiosk in a park at some point. >> Uh please, I'll send you a list of some of the parks that'll help you out right now. Um and I think you would really enjoy going to Sherwood Park. We have at least one expression swing that allows you to sit in the swing with your child in front of you, so you can see eye to eye while you're swinging back and forth.

Thank you for that. >> You have one of those for adults. >> We could probably squeeze somebody in there. [laughter] >> And we have the fire department stand by to get them out. So >> that's crazy work.

[laughter] >> Just a couple of uh celebratory comments. First off, this what a what a wonderful an inspiring uh report. You mentioned opening of wheels. Everybody's really excited about that.

I want to also just honor the the team behind you and those ambassadors of our city who does such great work and making Durham a special place. It's good to see them here uh in the meeting. Um yeah, I and I appreciate um Council Member Baker's uh comments. Um there are some cities where it's just the parks department.

Um but I'm I'm glad that we have parks and wreck here. There are some affluent communities who with the parks department is just that the space because they have the means to provide activities and outlets and exposure for their kids. But here we not only just provide the space but activities. Um it was you know I had had great parents, God bless their memories, but it still got sketchy sometimes when you went outside and it it was the parks and recck department that saved my life in in conspiracy with them providing activities and some structured things

because things could have gone another way. And I know that that we're going to play, this department is going to play a large part and already has in many ways unheralded, but it's going to play a large part in whatever plans we have for violence um reduction uh in our city. So just kudos to an amazing year. Um by way of plug, I hope this council will eventually see its way to two cents rather than 1 cents uh for parks.

I think it's time uh for that. So I I look forward to that getting bumped up. Look at what you we've done with 1 cent uh over the years. imagine what it would look like uh with the two cents uh for park.

So, just want to put that plug out there. So, no questions, just commendations and celebration. And again, great to see this team. Thank you all so much for what you do uh for this city.

It's sacred work y'all do. Uh it's life-saving work. Those kids aren't just playing, they're being diverted as well. They're being strengthened. They're they're building character uh and being provided with options other than some of the options we've seen out there that that take our babies away from us. So, thank you so much for the work you do.

appreciate the report. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> And I had to return because it was parks and just say that I greatly appreciate it.

I um appreciate that there is an upcoming study. It would be great to hear more feedback on that as well. And I I'm I'm mindful of how much has gone into the last few years of uh development around parks and with the bond and all of the things happening. I want to make sure we don't lose sight of some of those um areas uh that h that aren't seeing those touches. And then also um making sure that the Durham Housing Authority locations, especially like Cornwallis um or Weaver Street is uh there's there's more more curiosity about what

could happen in those spaces. And then um I I'm mindful that so it it all so during the um campaign trail one of the students at kids votes asked about um infrastructure violence and it was of course I've never heard that before and she explained that it's the way we use our infrastructure to prevent folks from laying or sleeping or sitting too And um I'm not sure where that fits into your conversation or where it fits into your department around infrastructure or um how you're organizing the plans around benches, whether they're too short or too like not long enough or like all of those things, the comfort level, all of those things are coming to mind. And so I would love to know what your thoughts are around that. And and then um yeah and then also just you know like

really if there was a way to get an idea around some of those areas that we have partnerships with uh nonprofit organizations or um for-profit whatever with those areas that we do have those partnerships what it looks like um because I do think some of them could be better. >> Okay, >> so to speak. I know there's contracts. I know there's all theseus, but what that looks like clearly would be helpful.

>> Could you help describe what was your question? What did you want to see with those partnerships? >> Oh, essentially what where they are. >> Okay.

>> Where like what the time frames are, how long they'll last, and then what kind of revenue it generates or doesn't. >> Okay. So, a a list of our partnerships that we have with nonprofits in our community recreation centers. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And parks.

>> Okay. >> And I [clears throat] I remember that question at night. There was a a striking terminology. Uh >> never heard that before.

um the the infrastructure or the what does she call it again? >> Infrastructure violence. >> Infrastructure. So, basically a bench with the >> too much light, >> the the uh >> the the middle um >> bar >> bar in the middle.

It's like it restricts people from sleeping on it. The other side of that is also like when you have that when you don't have the bar, it invites so many people to sleep on it overnight and congregates. I thought it was a striking uh um some striking language because I never thought of it that way and I thought that it would probably one day bring rich debate and conversation around you know how embracing is the infrastructure versus how do you balance you know uh you know overly congregating of individuals versus and and then managing

the safety of you know the safety of the park. uh versus also accommodating people as well. >> Um [snorts] I didn't have a I was agnostic on it, but I just thought it was was striking. But >> um anyway, any any other comments?

>> Thank you all for the work you do. >> Oh, one I'm sorry. I won't and then definitely I wasn't here to to cheer you on about wheels. Um, but I do think that it's it's been a heavy lift and it's been lifted.

And then just keeping in mind to make sure that there's opportunities for children um to participate with no cost programming happening at wheels as well. So whether that's through parks and wreck or some partnership, figuring out what that looks like would be really helpful. I think that's one of my biggest uh points of of contention in the community. >> Okay.

>> All right. Thank you all so much. Um, Director Walker, thank you and your your team and for the new uh event space that's

coming for us to have more concerts that are coming up that you said in the presentation. All right, I'm making that up, too. All right. All right, folks.

We're almost out of here. Last item. >> [laughter] >> Item number 13, the most exciting one, source water resiliency and response plan update. >> This is 20 minutes.

>> You all talk too much. That's that's the problem. We talk too much and that's why we're still here. [clears throat] [laughter] >> And I think it's just you.

>> Good afternoon. >> Still afternoon. >> Welcome. You pack the house all the time, don't you? >> Mayor Prom Middleton and city council, those who are still here. >> Um, so I'm Sid Miller, assistant

director of the Department of Water Management, and we can go as quickly as you like. >> Well, don't say that out loud because I mean, really quick on my end. As quickly as you can. >> Absolutely.

So, um I mean the main reason that I'm here with this presentation is because America's Water Infrastructure Act requires the city to develop a source water risk and response plan and then update that plan every five years. We have just updated that plan and I'm informing you that we have updated that plan thereby satisfying the requirements of the federal law. So this is all just information about our water system and you have this in your packets and it's probably not new to any of you.

Stop me when you have a question. >> Oh, I love this. [laughter] >> This is something that um you've voted on as far as a contract and we are in the process of developing this tier quarry as a future water supply source. This is something that you know about and you'll be hearing much more in the next few years to come as we develop Jordan Lake as our next major water supply source.

This is the law I mentioned. This is the risk and resilience assessment that we've done. It leads to an emergency response plan which we've done and updated. This is how the um the plans sort of work together.

There's stakeholder engagement that's been involved. Internal external stakeholders. We involve our critical customers. We have a critical customer program.

We are connected with five of our neighbors through nine interconnections. The only other city in our region as connected is the city of Raleigh with whom we are connected. These are the plans that we have that are sort of integrated within our emergency response plan. We go through trainings and exercises every year. And this is our implementation strategy which is constant. This is the source water resilience and

response plan itself. the elements and our bottom line um I've sort of mentioned some of these things we have a lot of red redundancy in our system we have all these interconnections we can move we can actually if our largest water treatment plant were to go down as long as not the middle of the summer no one would know And in fact, we took the Williams water treatment plant offline for nine months and nobody knew. [snorts] >> That's true. >> The Williams family the Williams family knew as well. [laughter] And um and recently you approved an additional investment in our water

supply wershed protection program and I think I mean that pays huge dividends. We leverage $4 to every dollar from our rateayers in protecting land in our watershed and that's it. Thank you so much. That was a lot of really rich information that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Really appreciate it. Madam >> Council, >> I just I just wanted to um ping just a couple things. Um mainly if there were any updates from the lab. I know there was some conversation about new equipment that might be coming online.

>> So, we're in the process. I mean, we're just beginning, but we're in the process. We're going to p purchase a piece of equipment well that will allow us to analyze PAS in our own lab. >> Okay.

>> Yeah. >> And then I know does that include reverse osmosis at all? >> No, that's a treatment process.

Um we're >> that's not that type of equipment that we're looking at. Okay. Just want to keep it on our radar. And then um just a a thought um just understanding the dynamics of the way things happen in our federal government.

there are some folks who are not getting paid and they're not getting paychecks and I just wanted to propose um some study or at least some evaluation around whether it what it would look like to make sure that no one's water was cut off during this period um knowing like like there's just not cutting water for bills. So, we do have a hardship fund. Um, and we we are prepared to provide for any of those individuals that come to us. >> And if the hardship fund is depleted, what's the plan?

>> We come to you. >> Okay. We specifically put at the beginning of the shutdown, there was specific direction given uh around around the

government shutdown to make sure that the hardship fund would be made available for for people who may be not getting paychecks from the federal government. >> And how much is currently in that hardship fund? >> I don't know, but we'll get that information for you. >> Sounds great.

Thank you. That's >> Thanks. As always, I I also just want to say we we've had a lot of fun discussions about the DAP and parks and stuff, but like this stuff is like so critical to all our citizens of Durham. So, I want you to know just as one council member like whenever you come, you take as much time as you want because this is like I mean I really appreciate the work that water management is doing every day as you said behind the scenes all this kind of stuff that people aren't aware of.

Whims was down for like nine months. Nobody even knew. So, you guys do a great job and just want to make sure you know like you have as much time as you want because this is important stuff. >> Thank you.

now that he made me feel bad. I I agree. You know, >> and if I could just add uh I think that that appreciation is why I brought the whole environmental environmental committee of the leadership North Carolina to visit the Williams. No,

which facility was it? >> Brown. >> You went to the Brown water treatment plant? >> Yeah.

So, we went to Brown and I will say that this I I want to like shout from the rooftop. We have phenomenal staff. is really good layman interpretations and presentations on how our systems work. And I want to encourage folks to stop using the flushable wipes in the toilets [laughter] and stop putting things that do not decompose in the toilets and in the drains, including grease and other.

>> [laughter] >> But I just want to make sure that folks understand like what you do at home has impact and as much as you can prevent our drainage system from catching all of that. Um keeps our costs lower and so we can do a better job with our hardship fund if we have the funds to do that. That's all. Thank you.

>> Thank you. >> Great present. Oh, I'm sorry.

>> No, great presentation. Thank you. Appreciate it. I just one quick question.

um what what makes a critical customer? Is it the usage level or their >> it's the volume of water that they use or what it is that they're providing. So for example, like if they're responsible for dialysis or >> it's a hospital or what have you. So it depends on what the use is and how much the volume of what the volume of use is.

>> Gotcha. and the the criticality of the service they provide to the uh citizen. Okay. All right.

I was just curious. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Yeah.

Thank you. Uh did you have any comments? >> I'll just second council member wrist and say uh yeah, thank you so much for coming for all the work that you do. Appreciate the presentation.

Thank you. >> Thank you all. >> Thank you >> and mayor. [clears throat] I know the the subject matter is prefuncter in terms of we had a obligation to report

this out but I just uh appreciate especially council member and the sentiment all of you shared around. Um I I want you to know if if you don't get to see other colleagues uh or other municipalities water systems. You you have a you have one of the most wellplanned resilient water systems certainly one of the of the ones I've ever been associated with. uh your predecessors and your staff and their predecessors have been making investments for 50 to 60 years.

The the interconnectedness in particular is something that so many utilities do not have the benefit of. Um we have so many options uh should we have some sort of major crisis uh that most municipalities just don't have. So, um, while I'm and I am grateful to Sid for how quickly he moved, uh, I want to, uh, underscore the importance of what of what you're seeing and and this is a real success story that you should all be really proud of. >> Thank you. >> Thank you all. >> Um, the uh, just one thing about like

tier, I haven't been there yet. Is there is there is it accessible walking? >> It's accessible to you if you call ahead. >> Oh, I see.

We're doing our best to keep people out of it. >> Okay. >> When we can. >> Gotcha.

>> Just give us a call. We'll take you over. >> Got it. Got it.

" So, I got it. Thank you. >> All right. Well, uh, that'll be it.

We have one more item. Um, I have a speaker, Michael Reeves. Can you hear me? [snorts] [clears throat]

Mr. Mayor, he's not responding. >> No longer signing. Okay.

Uh well, colleagues, we colleagues, um if you will, I put something next to you. I This is just for you to read over. We will discuss this later, but I wanted to make sure you had it in front of you. Um and I'll propose to have a conversation about this a little later um with you all uh oneon one.

Um it's just something that was u provided that other cities are are adopting and um I didn't want to go into detail about discussion today, but I did want to put it in front of you um for us to uh discuss in a future meeting. But there was some some um due diligence work that I need to do around this and discuss with you all as well. So you have that this this is a resolution declaring intent of the city of Durham, North Carolina to participate in the commercial property assessed capital expenditure CPACE program. I'll talk more about it later.

All right. Are you ready to settle this up? >> I am Mayor. Uh to settle the agenda this evening, we have on consent items 1 through two, items 4 through 8, and items 10 through 13 on GBA public hearings item 16.

the other items on your agenda today were either referred back uh approved or you received a presentation. >> All right. Sound sounds good. Um we will uh I'll accept a motion to approve the uh >> so moved >> settle.

Thank you. >> It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor? >> I All oppose.

All right. Thank you all so much. I will see you on November 17th at 5:00 pm. >> [clears throat] >> Now I will adjourn the meeting [laughter] at 454.

Thank you all. You're no longer held hostage. >> Uh and this is a postmeating comment, but I want to thank Amy and the uh production staff with that power outage. Uh their life got crazy for about an

hour there at the start of the meeting. So thanks for all they did to >> hold us together.