Chatham County’s new parks master plan makes recommendations that could significantly alter the recreation landscape of the area.
Perhaps chief among them is a proposal to add 85.3 miles of greenway and nature trails over the next 10 years. It was one of the major suggestions from design and engineering firm McAdams Company of Durham, which worked on the plan.
“Trails are really an emerging phenomenon, they have been for quite a few years,” said Rachel Cotter, a project manager with McAdams who spoke to the Chatham County Commissioners last week. “It is free, for the most part, for users and can be used by people of all ages, all ability levels. We’re finding that greenways and trails are one of the best ways for reaching people from a recreation and health perspective.”
The recommended 85-plus miles is what the firm says the county needs to meet the Level of Service for 2028. The LOS is determined by measuring national standards, industry best practice, community input and recreation trends. Cotter said the county parks only provide .09 miles of trail per 1,000 residents — for a total of 6.7 miles — while the recommended LOS is 1 mile per 1,000 citizens, taking into consideration the growth in the county, plus the expected population growth from Chatham Park.
Cotter said it’s not “alarming or surprising” that the county is below the level. She recommended, with support of county parks and recreation staff, that the county establish a long-range trail network plan that would establish corridors throughout Chatham to reach the mileage called for. Nature and greenway trails were the top amenity requested by county residents during a recent survey and community meetings.
The master plan, approved by the county’s board of commissioners Feb. 18, also called for near-immediate master planning and investments for Southwest District Park in Bear Creek and Earl Thompson Park in Pittsboro. Cotter estimated that improvements to those facilities could cost anywhere between $18,000 and $60,000.
The final plan also indicated that staffing levels and budget for the county’s parks department needed to rise, as well as marketing efforts. A cost for all of the recommendations was not provided.
The three commissioners at the meeting expressed their satisfaction with the report and recommendations, but said priorities need to be established.
“(The plan) outlines some actionable items that we can start thinking about now, and I think that’s important,” said board chairman Mike Dasher.
Board vice chairman Diana Hales added, “There’s a very big apple out here to taste. Ten years goes by very fast. I think there’s more to be sorted out in terms of what’s first. It sounds to me like there’s very many next steps.”
Commissioners Jim Crawford and Walter Petty were absent for the discussion and presentation.