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volunteered their services as members from this board. Daniel volunteered to be a <br />backup for the committee. Stancil will coordinate with this committee as plans are <br />finalized. <br /> <br />e. Fully Accessible Playground Plans. Bench says that Chapel Hill Parks and <br />Recreation plans to build a fully accessible playground in Chapel Hill. The friends <br />of Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation are helping fund this effort. <br /> <br />IV. New Business <br />a. Brumley Forest Trails Network-Triangle Land Conservancy <br />Bo Howes, with the Triangle Land Conservancy, spoke with the group about the <br />potential for a grant that would allow them to develop a trail system in Brumley <br />Forest. Brumley Forest is near New Hope Church Road and Old NC 10. The trails <br />would accommodate bikes and hiking, but not horses. Most of TLC’s land is in <br />Orange County. Some of it lies in Durham County. The amount of the grant is <br />$100,000. If they get the nod from this board, it would help in their application <br />process. Daniel moved to approve this project, and McDade seconded the motion. <br />All voted in favor of recommending this project for the grant. <br /> <br />b. Annual State of the Parks Update-Dan Derby. Derby says that since he came <br />on board 11 years ago, the County has gone from 49 acres to over 1100 acres. <br />Parks have gone from 4 full time staff to 12 full time staff during that time period. <br />This includes a new full time staff member who is coming on board now. Derby <br />spoke of Hollow Rock Park opening soon with final projects being finalized this <br />fall. He addressed the Blackwood Farm Park and plans in the future to include <br />moving the park base there and building a new Environmental Education center <br />on the site. In February, the staff will have a controlled burn in the upper meadow <br />at the park. This will allow the eventual regrowth of original plants to come back <br />in. In March, five American Chestnuts will be planted as part of the Arbor Day <br />celebration. Eventually, a bee colony will be a part of the park. At this time of <br />year, park hours begin to change and all parks close earlier. Those hours are <br />posted on our website and at each park. Millhouse Road Park is in the planning <br />phase as previously discussed. In the spring, there will be a pond health clinic <br />with the help of the State Soil and Water Division. Williams Reid asked about <br />Blackwood Farm Park having its own Facebook page. Stancil stated that this has <br />been the topic of much internal discussion. At present there is a preference in the <br />County for one page for departments and functional areas. Currently news is <br />posted through the DEAPR page, although Little River has a pre-existing <br />Facebook page that is very popular and well kept up. He hops to have individual <br />pages for some of the higher profile parks in future. . Massai asked about if <br />Soccer.com will expand. Derby answered that we will expand if we can acquire <br />the land adjacent to it. Massai also asked if the SportsPlex would expand. Stancil <br />says there are plans to build an indoor annex with soccer and gymnasium facility <br />in the next few years. Derby said we now have the Emerald Ash Borer in the <br />county and that he will be looking at the canopies of the ash trees to see which <br />ones are currently infected and will treat accordingly.