Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Free Wi-FI
I thought we had some free wi-fi places in Southern Village. Do they appear on a list somewhere?
Morgan Creek Trail to open!
"Chapel Hill Celebrates National Trail Day with Opening of New Trail
Posted Date: 5/27/2011
The Town of Chapel Hill has planned a grand celebration on Saturday, June 4, National Trails Day, with the opening of the Morgan Creek Trail. Shuttles start at 10 a.m. from Frank Porter Graham School on Smith Level Road, and the event begins at 11 a.m.
The new trail provides access to open space to the south and west of Fordham Boulevard, a woodland corridor that James Taylor called "Copperline." Chapel Hill is creating a network of more than 38 miles of linear open space. The total land area of Chapel Hill is 21.3 square miles, and about 11 percent of this is dedicated to parks and open space. There are about 1,200 acres of park, open space, and greenway easements totaling 12 miles of trails.
The ribbon cutting event will include speakers Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Greenways Commission Chair Christine Berndt, Johnny Randall of the Botanical Garden Foundation and Public Arts Commission Chair Gerald D. Bolas. After the ribbon cutting, participants will be invited on a hike of the trail and Merritt's Pasture. Watch the Chapel Hill VID to learn more about this project.
Morgan Creek Trail is located on the north side of Morgan Creek, from Merritt Pasture to a new parking lot east of Kingswood Apartments. The Town of Chapel Hill was awarded $347,000 in federal stimulus funding to complete the $1.2 million project. Funds also came from the Federal Highway Administration allotted through the Metropolitan Planning Organization ($640,000), and 2003 Town bond funds ($220,000).
The celebration marks the completion of the first phase of the project, which features a .85 mile concrete trail that includes two new bridges, a section of boardwalk, and an underpass of the James Taylor Bridge (Hwy 15-501). Residents of the Southbridge neighborhood can access the new trail by using an informal path on Town open space property.
Hikers can follow the main trail along the north side of the creek, eastward to the edge of Merritt's Pasture. From the end of the paved trail, walkers can continue hiking along a natural surface path that circles the Pasture. Bicycles are not allowed in Merritt's Pasture. All dogs must be on a leash. There is no public access downstream (east) of Merritt's Pasture, along Morgan Creek.
Phase Two of the project is expected to begin in 2012. This will connect Phase One of the Morgan Creek Trail with the existing Fan Branch Trail. The combined trails will be about three miles long and will connect Southern Community Park, Southern Village, Scroggs School, Merritt's Pasture, and open space along Morgan Creek. Phase Two will likely be completed in late 2012 or early 2013.
Currently, there is limited public access to the Morgan Creek area, which is protected by a conservation easement. The 92-acre nature preserve stretches along Morgan Creek from Merritt Pasture to the Chapel Hill town limit at Smith Level Road. The land is bounded by Merritt Pasture on the east, the Carrboro Town line on the west, Culbreth Road to the south, and Fordham Boulevard to the north. The open space was amassed in a series of acquisitions that were finalized in March 2007.
For more information about the ribbon cutting event or access to this new trail, contact Bill Webster, assistant director of Parks and Recreation, at 919-968-2819 or bwesbster@townofchapelhill.org.
Morgan Creek Trail from Town of Chapel Hill, NC on Vimeo."
Posted Date: 5/27/2011
The Town of Chapel Hill has planned a grand celebration on Saturday, June 4, National Trails Day, with the opening of the Morgan Creek Trail. Shuttles start at 10 a.m. from Frank Porter Graham School on Smith Level Road, and the event begins at 11 a.m.
The new trail provides access to open space to the south and west of Fordham Boulevard, a woodland corridor that James Taylor called "Copperline." Chapel Hill is creating a network of more than 38 miles of linear open space. The total land area of Chapel Hill is 21.3 square miles, and about 11 percent of this is dedicated to parks and open space. There are about 1,200 acres of park, open space, and greenway easements totaling 12 miles of trails.
The ribbon cutting event will include speakers Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Greenways Commission Chair Christine Berndt, Johnny Randall of the Botanical Garden Foundation and Public Arts Commission Chair Gerald D. Bolas. After the ribbon cutting, participants will be invited on a hike of the trail and Merritt's Pasture. Watch the Chapel Hill VID to learn more about this project.
Morgan Creek Trail is located on the north side of Morgan Creek, from Merritt Pasture to a new parking lot east of Kingswood Apartments. The Town of Chapel Hill was awarded $347,000 in federal stimulus funding to complete the $1.2 million project. Funds also came from the Federal Highway Administration allotted through the Metropolitan Planning Organization ($640,000), and 2003 Town bond funds ($220,000).
The celebration marks the completion of the first phase of the project, which features a .85 mile concrete trail that includes two new bridges, a section of boardwalk, and an underpass of the James Taylor Bridge (Hwy 15-501). Residents of the Southbridge neighborhood can access the new trail by using an informal path on Town open space property.
Hikers can follow the main trail along the north side of the creek, eastward to the edge of Merritt's Pasture. From the end of the paved trail, walkers can continue hiking along a natural surface path that circles the Pasture. Bicycles are not allowed in Merritt's Pasture. All dogs must be on a leash. There is no public access downstream (east) of Merritt's Pasture, along Morgan Creek.
Phase Two of the project is expected to begin in 2012. This will connect Phase One of the Morgan Creek Trail with the existing Fan Branch Trail. The combined trails will be about three miles long and will connect Southern Community Park, Southern Village, Scroggs School, Merritt's Pasture, and open space along Morgan Creek. Phase Two will likely be completed in late 2012 or early 2013.
Currently, there is limited public access to the Morgan Creek area, which is protected by a conservation easement. The 92-acre nature preserve stretches along Morgan Creek from Merritt Pasture to the Chapel Hill town limit at Smith Level Road. The land is bounded by Merritt Pasture on the east, the Carrboro Town line on the west, Culbreth Road to the south, and Fordham Boulevard to the north. The open space was amassed in a series of acquisitions that were finalized in March 2007.
For more information about the ribbon cutting event or access to this new trail, contact Bill Webster, assistant director of Parks and Recreation, at 919-968-2819 or bwesbster@townofchapelhill.org.
Morgan Creek Trail from Town of Chapel Hill, NC on Vimeo."
Monday, May 30, 2011
Southern Community Park
Who is in charge? When the basketball backstop falls over - for whatever reason - who is the right person to call to get it fixed?
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Lightning blamed for Chapel Hill house fire | NBC17.com
I hope no one was hurt, and that the damage was less than feared. It appeared that one of those afer-fire rescue companies was hard at work helping the owners minimize the loss early Friday evening.
It would be good for the rest of us to know if there was anything about the house, its location on the top of the hill, etc. that might be worth knowing. At some point, it might even be worth reviewing all of the fires in Southern Village to be sure that everyone is doing all that they can to prevent these tragedies. (Here is another story that does not add much to the first.) It would be so helpful to know if there are lessons to be learned for the rest of us.
It would be good for the rest of us to know if there was anything about the house, its location on the top of the hill, etc. that might be worth knowing. At some point, it might even be worth reviewing all of the fires in Southern Village to be sure that everyone is doing all that they can to prevent these tragedies. (Here is another story that does not add much to the first.) It would be so helpful to know if there are lessons to be learned for the rest of us.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
What to Do at a Yellow Light? And Other Things American Drivers Don't Know - NYTimes.com
Note the color for NC. I think we'd come out bright red among Southern Village drivers.
Today, I saw a SUV on Aberdeen and a blue Volvo on Graylyn where drivers left the engines running (probably to keep the air conditioning running) and got out of the car while kids remained inside. Those kids and the rest of us were put at risk because these drivers could not take the time or trouble to turn off their engines before getting out of the car. If there were a criminal statute prohibiting such practices, the parents - if that is who was driving - ought to be in handcuffs.
Today, I saw a SUV on Aberdeen and a blue Volvo on Graylyn where drivers left the engines running (probably to keep the air conditioning running) and got out of the car while kids remained inside. Those kids and the rest of us were put at risk because these drivers could not take the time or trouble to turn off their engines before getting out of the car. If there were a criminal statute prohibiting such practices, the parents - if that is who was driving - ought to be in handcuffs.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Morgan Creek Trail
I walked across the James Taylor Bridge to check out the state of the trail work below. It seems to be largely finished under the bridge and over to the field off 54. Very nice!!! It's all concrete.
The rest - in the other direction - seems to have progressed tremendously, but still closed off for walkers.
There is a bit of a sewage smell, alas, and I recall that from last time as well. Maybe that can be addressed? Should be addressed? Is there a leak of some sort?
The light to cross the road to get there is really disappointing, tho. Takes forever to give a clear walk signal for pedestrians. I wonder if this cannot be improved? What is the current program and response time to a push of the button?
The rest - in the other direction - seems to have progressed tremendously, but still closed off for walkers.
There is a bit of a sewage smell, alas, and I recall that from last time as well. Maybe that can be addressed? Should be addressed? Is there a leak of some sort?
The light to cross the road to get there is really disappointing, tho. Takes forever to give a clear walk signal for pedestrians. I wonder if this cannot be improved? What is the current program and response time to a push of the button?
Friday, May 20, 2011
You Are Here - Germany’s Anti-Chaos Crusaders - NYTimes.com
Let's hope that people here can behave on their own! This sounds awful. But with all the people in Southern Village who thumb their noses at basic safety because they think they are in a hurry - usually to be important, or seem so - one has to wonder what it would take for them to behave more safely.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Friday, May 06, 2011
Pulling the chord
I learned something yesterday. On at least some of the Chapel Hill Transit buses, you must pull the chord in order for the driver to open the doors in the back, even on scheduled stops. She told me to pull the chord whenever I want to get off at the next stop.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Plaque in Southern Community Park
I noticed the plaque that is mounted on a stone next to the parking lot for the Southern Community Park for the first time yesterday.
How much did that cost?
It looks like a cemetery marker for a very long list of city and county officials! Surely, "we" should not be paying for their memorial. I look forwad to learning how much it cost and who paid for it.
How much did that cost?
It looks like a cemetery marker for a very long list of city and county officials! Surely, "we" should not be paying for their memorial. I look forwad to learning how much it cost and who paid for it.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Kinetix Health Club
I found one of their flyers on my front door the other day. Any business that promotes using door hangers never gets my business. They create a security risk that's just really bad judgment on their part.
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