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5 <br />Background <br />In 1988, the Parks Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan identified <br />a fixture park in conjunction with the Northern Human Services Center on NC 88 <br />north. The Northern Human Services Center was originally built in the 1950's as <br />the Cedar Grove School, an African-American school. Abaseball/softball field <br />located at the site was utilized for recreation programs beginning in the 1980's, <br />and some programs also took place in the gym of the building. <br />In 1998, the County acquired 40 acres (known as the Kennedy tract) adjacent to <br />the 9-acre tract containing the Center, playground and ball field, This land was <br />acquired to be part of the future park site, <br />In 2001, Orange County voters approved a Parks and Open Space band that <br />included $1,200,000 earmarked for the future park. A draft Preliminary Concept <br />Plan was created in 2002, and a process for planning the Northern (Human <br />Services Center) Park was considered and approved in late 2003. In the spring <br />of 2004, property across NC 86 from the site was acquired for a wastewater field, <br />and plans to move forward with the park master plan were finalized, A series of 4 <br />community meetings to design the park (excluding the building) were held <br />between October 2004 and March 2005. <br />At the current time, the facilities that exist at the site are: <br />• The Northern Human Services Center (NHSC) building, including a <br />gymnatorium, cafeteria and a number of rooms used or proposed to be <br />used far a variety of activities <br />• A branch library (in the NHSC building) <br />• A children's playground adjoining the Center <br />• Alighted playing field for softball/youth baseball <br />In 2003, the Board of County Commissioners considered and adopted a process <br />far the planning and design of this park. This process did not include the planned <br />upgrades to the Northern Human Services Center, although the need for <br />consistency and compatibility was addressed. The process may be found as <br />Appendix 1. <br />In general, the adopted process called for a series of community meetings to <br />develop a master plan. As a part of the design process, the community meetings <br />were to yield a park master plan that, among other features: <br />• Recognizes co-location with the Center, and works in concert with and <br />shares infrastructure where passible <br />• Promotes apedestrian-friendly environment and discourages unnecessary <br />traffic or parking areas <br />