Blog

A City of Durham COVID-19 Update

News
As of Friday, December 11, the City and County of Durham have adopted the State’s Executive Order 181, with no additional local requirements. For complete details visit the City of Durham COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Updates & Resources page. As we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking the necessary precautions and adhering to the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to prevent the spread of the virus.   
 
Durham Central Park, as a park in the Durham Parks and Rec system, is following the guidance laid out by the city and state. This means that during this time, the park, playgrounds, trails and greenways remain open for people to visit and enjoy. Outdoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 50 people. The Durham Farmers’ Market remains open following rules and regulations specified by the Department of Public Health. 
 
Additional recommendations include washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and staying home when you are sick. The CDC recommends coughing or sneezing into a tissue and then throwing it away, or sneezing into your upper shirt, sleeve or elbow, completely covering your nose and mouth; use your elbow to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Those who are high risk including those who are 65 years of age or older, have long-term medical conditions, or those who have weak immune systems are advised to stay home per the guidelines of the CDC.    

Friends of Durham Central Park Program Unveiled!

News

Durham Central Park is still the place for community, even in a most unusual year.

Amid the tumult of 2020, the value of these precious five acres in the heart of downtown was indisputable. During stay at home orders, the Park remained open for exercise, play, dog walks, fresh air, and safe socializing as we adhered to local and state protocols. 

Despite restrictions on gathering, beneficial activities continued in the Park. The Durham Farmers’ Market reopened in May, offering fresh food and supporting local farmers. Yoga, exercise and dance classes resumed in the Park in July, while studios and gyms remain closed. 

Park improvements advanced. Barnaby D. Troll, a generous gift from the Evans Family, took his place alongside the new creekside trail. Kids of all ages can now visit and climb on sleeping Barnaby or easily explore the Ellerbee Creek. New benches were added and soon, we will install a new, terraced garden behind the Pavilion and plant more than 25 trees to enhance natural beauty and increase shade in the Park.

These plantings signal a grand new redesign, a comprehensive land-use plan we will commission shortly that promises exciting new features for our beloved Park. 

The Park enhanced the physical, social, and emotional health of our community and helped Durham cope with a global tragedy. Even though event cancellations caused a notable drop in revenue, the success of our new Friends of Durham Central Park program mitigated our 2020 operating deficit and put us on solid financial footing going forward.  

DCP, Inc. is grateful for the stalwart support of people like you, which allowed us to accomplish so much in the midst of a pandemic. Your tax-deductible gift of any amount, from $10 to $1,000,  helps us continue our mission of Providing Space for Community. We encourage supporters who can manage it to join the Friends of Durham Central Park by making a three-year pledge—a solemn commitment that will support the park’s operations for years to come. 

Please do what you can (Friend, Sustainer or one-time donor) to ensure as Durham grows and changes, our diverse offerings will continue to invite people downtown to enjoy a place of comfort and inclusion for all.

Sincerely,

Erin Kauffman, Executive Director

Durham Central Park, Inc.

Order LocoPops Today (10/26) to benefit Durham Central Park

News

LocoPops is adored for their local, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free frozen desserts–flavors like Mango Chile Sorbet and Vietnamese Coffee. Have one, or treat the neighbors. Locopops will donate 10% of pre-tax revenue from online sales on Monday, Oct. 26 to benefit Durham Central Park! Place your order on Monday for pickup or delivery on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Visit https://ilovelocopops.com/ and click Order Online.

Did you miss getting to eat popsicles in the park this summer? We sure missed YOU and scenes like these at our food truck rodeos and concerts. Stock up on some Locopops and eat popsicles FOR Durham Central Park on Durham’s warm fall days!

Parties For The Park Is Back!

Events

Does it feel that summer party you wanted to have never quite happened? CELEBRATE in autumn. The wait is over–we’re unveiling our Parties for the Park fundraiser series today and tickets are on sale now! We’ve got virtual parties, an outdoor party and a silent auction for a week-long stay at this fantastic Sugar Mountain vacay home:

Sugar Mountain vacation house silent auction

Parties for the Park is Durham Central Park’s annual fall fundraiser. The funds raised through Parties for the Park provides 30% of the operating budget for Durham Central Park Inc., a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.

For more than 22 years, we have built the infrastructure that makes the DCP beautiful, accessible, functional, comfortable and welcoming to the entire community. The funds raised from Parties for the Park have supported many projects over the years including continuation of our PLAYlist Concert Series, the installation of benches, tables, gardens, trees and art, Mt. Merrill and our newest feature, a larger-than-life troll sculpture and Troll Trail. Additionally, the funds help to cover the usual costs for staffing, maintaining, and programming the park.

By buying tickets to these parties, you will be helping to keep Durham Central Park a vibrant and accessible community space:

Trivia Night with Arturo Sanchez #1, Sept 30
Trivia Night with Arturo Sanchez #2, Oct. 1
A Tour of Italian Wines… From Home!, Oct 9
Deep Fried Swap Meet Hootenanny, Oct 10
Take and Bake! An Italian Meal to Warm the COVID Heart, Oct 18
Kingfisher Presents: Real Cocktails/Virtual Party, Oct 22

Read all about the parties at PartiesforthePark.org

The silent auction for the Sugar Mountain Vacation Home (pictured above) will be live from October 14-18.

If Zoom or in-person parties aren’t something you are up for right now, but you want to just have a party or picnic with close friends, family or Quaranteam and make a donation to DCP, that is also wonderful.

Watch #BarnabyDTroll make his journey from Liberty Arts Foundry

News, Park Improvements

#BarnabyDTroll is Durham Central Park’s newest feature! Watch our new climbable sleeping TROLL make his journey from Liberty Arts Foundry and walk our new Troll Trail this week. Use the hashtag #BarnabyDTroll when you post your pictures with him.

Durham Central Park is a 5-acre, city owned park that is managed and programmed by Durham Central Park, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit. As such, DCP, Inc. relies on the support of generous donors just like you! Donate here or become a sustainer.

#formandfunction #publicart

 

Built by: Waller Foushee Studios

Designer: @grafikmythos

Thank you: the Evans family.

   

NEW addition to Durham Central Park

Park Improvements
Down by the creek and under the bridge at Durham Central Park, a new trail is taking shape! The trail will run from Mt. Merrill down to the creek, under the bridge and back up to Hunt Street. It is designed to add shaded play area and make the creek more accessible for kids and grownups. The creek will be lined with large boulders to both stabilize the creek banks and allow for easy creek exploration.

But, it’s not JUST a trail… the Cardinal and Turtle will be getting a new friend! When the trail is finished, a new, custom, climbable sculpture will be installed next to the trail. Right now, the sculpture is being built in the Liberty Arts Foundry in the park by WallerFoushee Studios (of Major The Bull fame). Next time you are visiting the park, take a peak into the Foundry and see if you can guess who it will be.

Increasing shaded, playable area in Durham Central Park has been in DCP Inc.’s Master Plan for many years. Thanks to the generosity of the Evans Family, this trail and our new friend will be coming to the park later this summer for everyone to enjoy! Durham Central Park is a 5-acre city owned park located in the heart of Downtown Durham. The park is managed, developed and programmed by Durham Central Park, Inc. a 501c3 non-profit organization.

DCP Rocks Bingo!

Events

Durham Central Park rocks and we’ve got your second themed park bingo/scavenger hunt ready! At your leisure, and following physical distancing and face mask mandates, come to DCP with this “rock” and why “DCP rocks” bingo card. Post your pictures of what you or the young people in your life discover.

Durham Central Park is a 5-acre city owned park located in the heart of Downtown Durham. The park is managed, developed and programmed by Durham Central Park, Inc. a 501c3 non-profit organization. Our Mission: Providing Space for Community.

Durham Central Park is a place filled with natural beauty and man-made wonders. Yet, in a way, it is also a blank canvas—an empty stage ready to be the setting for your story.

Our mission is providing space for community, which means a number of things including:

–Continuing to maintain and improve an already amazing urban park;
–Working hard to ensure that the park is accessible to everyone;
–Hosting enjoyable, free events to enliven the park and enrich the community;
–Offering an affordable and attractive venue in the heart of downtown; and Safeguarding a place for people to gather in celebration or rally around a shared belief, meet up with friends or just be alone for a moment, appreciate public art or simply play in nature—a place for Durham to be Durham.

If you haven’t had a chance to play the first in our series, Pollinator Bingo (in honor of Pollinator Week last month, and Durham’s status as a Bee City, you can access the bingo card here. 

PLAYlist Concert Series Announcement

News

PLAYlist Concert Series Announcement: we were excited to share this year’s PLAYlist Concert Series lineup with you but, after much consideration and consultation with the City of Durham, NC Government, we have decided to cancel our 2020 PLAYlist Concert Series (June-Sept) in order to protect public health amid the #COVID-19 pandemic. We will miss gathering and the camaraderie of these concerts but feel that the risk and uncertainty is too great at this time. Photo credit Ryan Moeller Photography, 2018. #DurhamNC

#25DaysofGiving to Raise $10,000 to Support DCP’s Operating Funds

News

Giving Tuesday, May 5th, we kicked off #25DaysofGiving to raise $10,000 to support DCP’s operating funds. Our day four running total in #25DaysofGiving is $2141, including five new sustainers! Over the next 21 days, we will share our favorite memories, features and information about the work that we are doing to improve the park and provide space for community during the global pandemic. Please make a donation or become a sustainer to help us continue to serve the Durham community. 

As you may know, the park is operated, programmed and preserved by DCP, Inc. a 501(c)3 nonprofit. We serve as a “Friends of the Park” organization for Durham Central Park and keep the park a beautiful place for you to enjoy. Changes to our pavilion rentals and regularly scheduled programming this spring have caused financial challenges for our small non-profit.

Please make a donation so that we can continue our vital work towards positively impacting the well-being of our community. https://durhamcentralpark.org/donate/