Holt School Road Park Wins $20K Grant, Helped by Homestead Heights GC

By Laurie Renard

Homestead Heights GC Vice-President
 

Holt School Road Park, located in northern Durham across from Holt Elementary Magnet School/Language Academy, has been part of the Argonne Hills/Holt School Road/Valley Drive neighborhoods for over 50 years.  It has been enjoyed, unfortunately fallen into neglect, but since 2006, has been revitalized by: neighbors and friends, Homestead Heights Garden Club members, Boy Scouts, Duke University students, Durham Parks and Recreation, “Keep Durham Beautiful,” and other Durham City departments.   

 

Durham’s Parks and Recreation Department submitted our park to the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) as one of three parks in Durham to be considered for a $20,000 Parks Build Community grant for park upgrades.  NRPA partnered with The Walt Disney Company and its ABC and ESPN divisions to offer grants to fifteen cities in the US.  Each city selected three parks for upgrades.  Each city’s winner received the most votes cast on the NPRA website.  Holt School Road Park in Durham won with the votes by Durhamites, friends, family, and others across the US.  Several new, fun, climbable structures have been added.  Durham Parks and Recreation, its Adopt-A-Park division, volunteers from City government, Holt School Park area residents, and volunteers from other parts of the City worked together to put borders on half of the woods trail and paint picnic tables and part of the shelter.  Vegetation was trimmed, and new plants were planted. Many pinecones were removed from the picnic area and trail by “park angels."

 

On August 27^th, Holt School Road Park celebrated its renovation with neighbors, friends, Durham Parks and Recreation, “Keep Durham Beautiful,” a City Council member, Holt School personnel, and a Channel 11 reporter.   His news clip can be seen at: http://abc11.com/society/durhams-holt-school-road-park-gets-makeover/959886/.    

 

Holt School Park and friends enthusiastically thank Rhonda Parker, DPR staff, and the entire DPR team for making our upgrade happen!! 

 

Come visit Holt School Park.  Enjoy its quiet setting.  Bring your family.  Have a picnic.  See its new look.