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Date: February 2025 <br /> To: Orange County Dept. of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation <br /> Improving Recreational Opportunities <br /> in Fairview Park <br /> Introduction <br /> Fairview Park has long been an invaluable resource of the Fairview <br /> community, created through decades of advocacy and community effort.We <br /> thank the Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & <br /> Recreation for their continued investment and care of this essential community <br /> space. Today, the park faces challenges in fully meeting the needs of Fairview <br /> residents, especially youth, who often feel disconnected from its facilities. <br /> To address these concerns, the Fairview Youth in Action (FYIA) and <br /> Fairview Community Watch (FCW) have worked closely with community <br /> members and partners to identify actionable steps to make Fairview Park a <br /> more inclusive, accessible, and engaging space for all residents. <br /> This memo proposes immediate and long-term actions for improving <br /> recreational opportunities in Fairview Park, including: <br /> 1. Installing temporary soccer goals on the existing baseball field, <br /> 2. Addressing maintenance needs at the existing playground and facilities <br /> located by the Dorothy Johnson Community Center, and <br /> 3. Improving the shortcut connecting Fairview Park and the neighborhood <br /> at Homemont Ave. and Rainey Ave. <br /> Our Process <br /> The history of Fairview Park as a symbol of community resilience and <br /> connection is at risk. Many Fairview residents do not feel fully included in the <br /> recreational opportunities provided at Fairview Park.This sense of exclusion <br /> has led to decreased park use and call for improvements amongst residents. <br /> Since 2021, FYIA and FCW have engaged residents, local leaders, and <br /> stakeholders to understand these challenges and identify solutions.This effort <br /> culminated in the creation of the Fairview Active Living Plan 2022-2027 <br /> ("Activate!"), a community-driven plan for improving active living in the <br /> neighborhood. In coordination with the UNC Food, Fitness, and Opportunity <br /> Research Collaborative (UNC FFORC), the Fairview Youth in Action conducted a <br /> public park audit and observations in the summers of 2021 and 2022, and <br /> solicited feedback from the community at Walk Fairview Day, an annual <br /> community event held in August 2021-2024.Activate! helped shape <br /> understanding of the current gaps and opportunities for improvement. <br /> 1 <br />