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Funding both the TC redevelopment and a pedestrian bridge at the same time probably won't happen so let's get the first step done right, first.[/
That's my point. The bridge funding is more important than some of the things within the plan so therefore, it should have been included with the plan. If you want to separate it out then for funding purposes (like a general push for Greenway money) that's fine, but the priorities should be spelled out comprehensively. If not, it will sit on its own and look like a waste of money (especially with a $10 mill price tag). IMO, its a important connection and serves a purpose to the Town Common that has been talked about a long time. They can talk about how good the consultants are, but it wasn't included...and if it was purposely not included, that was a failure IMO.
New playground at the town commons opens Saturday:
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Landscape architect Myriah Shewchuk said the experience that best prepared her for designing playgrounds was becoming a parent.
“I had designed playgrounds for years before I had children. ... They should have never let me do that,” Shewchuk said laughing. “After becoming a parent, I gained a whole new appreciation for how a playground should be designed and constructed.”
Shewchuk, who works with The East Group in Greenville, is one of the lead designers of the all-inclusive playground that will be opening to the public Saturday at the Town Common. The city will hold a dedication ceremony for the new playground on Saturday at 10 a.m.
“This has been an amazing project to work on,” Shewchuk said. “It’s really a park within a park.”
Construction of the playground, which is the largest in Greenville, was mostly funded through a $750,000 grant the city received from Greenville-based Trillium Health Resources. Trillium has awarded 30 grants through its Play Together Accessible Playground program, which provides municipalities with funding to build fully accessible, all-inclusive playgrounds for people with special needs and physical disabilities.
Greenville Recreation and Parks Director Gary Fenton said the project also was made possible by a $45,000 donation from Greenville Utilities Commission, a $23,000 donation from Vidant Health and about $8,000 the city raised through the Town Common Playground Free Play and Landscaping Enhancements Campaign.
“Trillium is such an outstanding organization, and I can’t thank them enough for their vision in helping to build these all-inclusive playgrounds,” Fenton said. “And a lot of businesses and residents in Greenville donated to this project as well. It was really great because it showed us that people really had their heart into this playground.”
Fenton said crews started working on the project in July at the southeast corner of the Town Common. Construction was delayed for about a week last month when the Town Common was closed due to flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew, but the playground will be ready for Saturday’s opening, he said.
“These guys have done an amazing job,” Fenton said Thursday as crews were getting the playground ready for the dedication. “I come out here every morning and look around, and when I come back in the afternoon it looks completely different.”
The approximately one-acre playground has rubberized surfaces similar to Elm Street Park and handicap-accessible equipment including the Liberty Swing, specifically designed for children in wheelchairs.
“The Liberty Swing is one of the things I am looking forward to seeing in use,” Fenton said. “It’s an incredible addition to this playground and was one of the features that Trillium said was a must.”
Other features include:
*A natural play area designed to mimic natural landscapes;
*A climbing dome;
*Ziplines;
*An adult exercise equipment station;
*A hillside slide and climber integrated into the natural landscape of the park.
“The Town Common is challenging because there is a 14-foot grade change from First Street down to the river," Shewchuk said. “But that is what makes this playground so unique. ... It’s not something that was ordered out of a catalog and dropped onto a flat piece of land. It flows with the landscape.”
The project is part of Greenville’s Town Common Master Plan, the city’s long-term plan for the development of the park.
“We knew we wanted this playground to be at the Town Common,” Fenton said. “It just made sense. ... It’s everybody’s park and want this to be everybody’s playground.
“We also wanted to make sure that anything done with the Town Common Master Plan is done right,” Fenton said. “This will set the standard for everything else we do here.”
Fenton added that he considers the playground “a legacy project” for the city.
“I’ve been in this business for more than 40 years,” Fenton said. “Some of the parks I worked at when I started my career are still around today and are serving generation after generation of people. This playground will impact people in Greenville for many years to come.”
Supposed to be very warm Saturday, so it will be a nice day to open the playground.! Time for Phase 2!
Hadn't planned the route until you said something but I would just take Dickenson to Greene. I'm over by South Central High School. You're right Greene is already down town so having another bridge right next to it wouldn't really do much but save me... maybe a mile at most. It would be cool to bike over the water but hardly worth $20 million as far as the time savings is concerned.
I'm personally more fore spending money on function things that make everyday living better not just trying to build an "icon" that will eventually fade and be ignored by the vast majority of the population. I mean is there anyone here who really feels safe on the roads here? I doubt it and I certainly doubt that any cyclist, like myself enjoys commuting on bike. I've been called all kinds of names riding my bike, cussed at, cut off, flipped off etc.
Lots of cities have parks and bridges or icons but people don't move there for those. They come for work and stay for the people and the community. I know I'm a yankee but it may do good for the more rooted locals to know that I have yet to meet a single person that felt welcome to this town or that wanted to stay because of the people. Most of the locals I've talked to about this feel the same way. So while having a cool park or a nice bridge may make for a few nice weekend activities, in my opinion it will not create a happier resident the way better infrastructure and less taxes would.
Finding ways to improving everyday life seems like a better investment than a new "toy". We need to change the way the community lives and interacts with each other. I'm not sure a park or bridge will do that. Sorry for the rant, just wanted to put my two cents out there.
I disagree. Living in the triangle I can tell you unequivocally that the greenway, the "outdoor" options, parks and overall commitment to these things matter to many. They are easily top items for people moving into the area, especially those with families. They make this area active, livable, enjoyable and accent a certain quality of life. I'm sure you're correct for some people, these things matter more or less to different people. I assure you however that companies take these things into account when considering locations. Its a "benefit" they can offer their employees that doesn't cost them anything. Its enticing to be associated with cities that are forward thinking and willing to make these type of things a reality.
I don't disagree that taxes and infrastructure matter and IMO its not either or. You have to find ways to address both. I think Greenville officials are doing a good job of that.
Great cities have iconic things. Eventually there may be a skyline or unique architecture. A statue, a bridge etc that become THE emblem for Greenville. The Town Common and the pedestrian bridge may not be Greenville's thing for eternity but it could be the first thing. These are things that in and off themselves may not make or break a city, but they become endearing parts of the community, a banner people gather too and that matters.
I disagree. Living in the triangle I can tell you unequivocally that the greenway, the "outdoor" options, parks and overall commitment to these things matter to many. They are easily top items for people moving into the area, especially those with families. They make this area active, livable, enjoyable and accent a certain quality of life. I'm sure you're correct for some people, these things matter more or less to different people. I assure you however that companies take these things into account when considering locations. Its a "benefit" they can offer their employees that doesn't cost them anything. Its enticing to be associated with cities that are forward thinking and willing to make these type of things a reality.
Are you referring to the greenway and outdoor options in Raleigh or Greenville?
Great cities have iconic things. Eventually there may be a skyline or unique architecture. A statue, a bridge etc that become THE emblem for Greenville. The Town Common and the pedestrian bridge may not be Greenville's thing for eternity but it could be the first thing. These are things that in and off themselves may not make or break a city, but they become endearing parts of the community, a banner people gather too and that matters.
Pirate Statues. There are several, it kind of reminds me of the mermaid statues in downtown Norfolk.
A few years ago there were more of them painted in various ways around town. They disappeared but I don't know why.
Talks of designating U.S. 264 as a future interstate have shifted into the fast lane after federal officials approved an application submitted by the state to change the highway’s designation.
In a news release issued Thursday, Gov. Pat McCrory announced that officials with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved the state's application to add U.S. 264 between Zebulon and Greenville to the Interstate Highway System as future Interstate 587. The application is under consideration by the Federal Highway Administration for approval.
McCrory directed officials with the N.C. Department of Transportation to submit the application in September.
"The state's application to designate U.S. 264 to Greenville as a future interstate has cleared a major hurdle in the approval process, which is a good indication that it will become a reality in the very near future,” McCrory said in the news release.
Local officials and state and federal legislators have been lobbying for the interstate designation for more than two years. In September, U.S. Sens. Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and U.S. Reps. G.K. Butterfield, a Democrat, and Walter B. Jones Jr., a Republican, introduced the Eastern North Carolina Gateway Act of 2016. The bipartisan legislation aims to improve eastern North Carolina’s highway system by designating portions of U.S. 264 as an interstate highway and create interstate access along U.S. 13 and N.C. 11.
For a highway to be designated an interstate, it must meet certain construction requirements that include:
* A minimum designated speed of 70 mph, with 50-60 mph acceptable in rolling terrain;
* A minimum of at least two lanes in each direction;
* A minimum lane width of 12 feet, which is the standard for most U.S. and state highways;
* A minimum outside paved shoulder width of 10 feet and inside shoulder width of 4 feet;
* A minimum median width of 36 feet in rural areas and 10 feet in urban or mountainous areas.
Roger Johnson, Greenville’s economic development manager, said U.S. 264 already is within 90 percent of interstate specifications.
“The roads almost are built to interstate standards,” Johnson said. “There are sections where some lanes will need to be widened, but U.S. 264 almost meets the federal standards now.”
Greenville is the 10th-largest city in North Carolina and the largest city in the state without an interstate highway. Receiving the interstate designation will help Greenville recruit new business and industries to the area, Johnson said.
“When a company is looking for potential sites to locate, one of the most important factors is interstate accessibility,” Johnson said. “Cities that don’t have an interstate often are crossed off the list immediately. This puts us back on those lists and allows us to compete for these jobs and industries.
“Those of us that live in the area know that U.S. 264 has good roads and that you can travel 70 mph on most of it,” Johnson said. “However, these businesses all over the country don’t know that. This designation now will let them know that we have the infrastructure they require.”
It seems really short-sighted to not include the proposed bridge in the Town Commons development. I can see now something being built on the Town Commons that would hamper the building of the bridge. Like putting the amphitheater in the best space for the bridge.
Are you referring to the greenway and outdoor options in Raleigh or Greenville?
I am talking about greeways and outdoor options in general and what they mean to people. In thre triangle they are well developed and supported and are attractive items to current and would-be residents and industry. It would be similar for Greenville and is one reason to support continued development of these things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GarnetAndBlack
Not to sound mean, but do any of you posturing for $20 million bridges and greenways even live here? Or do you all live in Raleigh?
Some of us live here and have a little better understanding of what the city needs.
Personally been in Durham for 4 years, the 32 years prior was in Greenville/Washington and I still own property in Greenville.
I took my kids out to the new park at the Town Commons on Saturday. It is splendid addition to Greenville. Spent hours out there & the kids didn't want to leave. This is the quality of park you'd see in say Raleigh or a larger metro area.
There was so much activity out there, most I've seen on the Town Common on just a regular day without some event taking place. The TC can and should be a destination in the city, this was a great start...looking forward to the rest of the plan taking shape. Thanks Trillium!
Last edited by jpirate; 11-21-2016 at 10:17 AM..
Reason: q
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