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21 <br />Attachment 5d <br />MEMORANDUM <br />To: Hillsborough Board of Commissioners <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />From: Margaret Hauth, Planning Director (Town of Hillsborough) <br />David Stancil, Director, Department of Environment, Agriculture, <br />Parks & Recreation (Orange County) <br />Date: February 26, 2015 <br />Re: Recreation and Park Updates for Joint Board Meeting <br />Please find below several updates on matters of mutual interest on recreation and parks <br />topics, as requested. <br />Riverwalk <br />The town completed construction on Phases II and III of Riverwalk last year and <br />formally celebrated the greenway's opening in October. One small greenway and <br />sidewalk connection remains to be built to connect Gold Park to Occoneechee State <br />Natural Area. This construction is funded through a CMAQ grant and is scheduled to be <br />complete by the end of calendar year 2015. The town will then designate the entire <br />route as a component of the Mountains to Sea Trail. No further construction or <br />expansion is planned at this time. <br />Skateboard Park <br />The town has received requests from a group a residents for the construction of a <br />skateboard park. Some funding for site selection and feasibility is proposed in the <br />town's draft budget for FY16. One suggested site was Fairview Park, although this use <br />was not identified in the neighborhood prioritization survey nor was it included in the <br />Master Plan. The town would welcome Orange County's participation in the <br />identification of a desirable site and development of a skateboard park in a location that <br />is walkable to the interested population. <br />Blackwood Farm Park <br />County staff is preparing to open Blackwood Farm Park, a 152 -acre site located on NC <br />86 and New Hope Church Road between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill, on a limited <br />basis this spring. The first phase of the park will include several miles of walking trails, a <br />picnic shelter, open field for informal play, farmstead interpretive signage, fishing, and a <br />small agricultural demonstration area. A future phase will include an amphitheater, <br />scenic overlook and other amenities. <br />