Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
The Board received a presentation and considered the results from the Active Seniors <br />Project. <br />Health Director Rosemary Summers introduced Ellen Young, a member of the Health <br />Department staff and the project coordinator for this project. <br />Ellen Young gave statistics on the effects of inactivity in senior citizens and the positive <br />effects of activity. Orange County is building a new senior center located at the Southern <br />Human Services Complex in Chapel Hill, and the Town of Chapel Hill granted the special use <br />permit. In response to the building of the senior center, the Department on Aging conducted <br />surveys and held forums to get input on types of activities the seniors would like. The top <br />requests included outdoor activities, such as walking paths, tennis courts, and gardening. She <br />also spoke about the partnership between health care professionals and land use planners in <br />identifying barriers to walking in the area. The findings of the assessments were plotted onto a <br />color-coded map. There are lots of good places to walk, but there are also same improvements <br />needed. The tap recommendation by both the pedestrian and the bicycle team was to install <br />crossing improvements on Homestead Road at the entrance to Homestead Park. This is a very <br />dangerous crossing. The second recommendation was to build the sidewalk along Homestead <br />Road between the Human Services Center entry drive and the Inter-Faith Council shelter. The <br />last recommendation was to install crossing improvements on Martin Luther King Boulevard at <br />Westminster Drive. <br />A citizens spoke and said that the Town of Chapel Hill requested that Orange County <br />build a safe crossing at the Homestead Parkas well as sidewalk extensions along the frontage <br />of the Human Services Center tract. The final special use permit included requirements related <br />to these items. He said that the County should be commended for looking at these issues and <br />promoting the safety and wellness of the senior population. <br />Ellen Young said that they would continue to share the project findings with other local <br />boards. They will also promote walking and biking on existing routes around the senior center. <br />There will be maps of routes displayed in the senior center, with copies available. <br />Chair Carey said that the Board has been a promoter of walkable communities for many <br />years, and they were pleased to see the results of this report. He said that the town's effort to <br />address one of the recommendations resulted in an item being included in the special use <br />permit, but it was not that the crosswalk had to be constructed before the County could get the <br />occupancy permit. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he was impressed by this report. He received a phone <br />call from the developer at The Meadowlands, George Horton, who said that they have had to <br />hire a retired Sheriff's deputy to help seniors walk on the roadways within The Meadowlands <br />because of the tractor trailers coming through there. He suggested a similar assessment for the <br />Central Orange Senior Center. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked Commissioner Gordon about recommendations for <br />possible DOT funding for this crosswalk. Commissioner Gordon said that it may be difficult to <br />get funds, but they could try. The Homestead Road project is moving forward with $65Q,000 in <br />Moving Ahead funds. She asked at the last meeting to be mindful that whatever is left over <br />should go back to the high school #3 for road improvements to Smith Level Road. Mike Mills <br />said that they would keep this in mind, but there was no commitment. She will ask about <br />possible funding. Commissioner Halkiotis suggested putting the request in writing to DOT. <br />Commissioner Gordon suggested a formal letter thanking DOT for the Homestead Road <br />money and a separate letter requesting that the Moving Ahead money be moved for this <br />crosswalk and road improvements for the high school #3 an Smith Level Road. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that there was a suggestion that there be bicycles available <br />for seniors to use at the senior center. He suggested doing an outreach program for bicycles to <br />be donated to the senior center. <br />