2009 Pittsboro Christmas Parade

The Pittsboro Christmas Parade will be held at 3 PM this Sunday, December 6th. Come one come all. Rumor has it that Santa will make an appearance.

Santa and helper in the 2007 parade.

Puppets of the 2007 Pittsboro Christmas Parade.

The above images are from a You Tube Video lacking attribution.

Greening our Parks - 2 CCCC Student Projects

We couldn't have asked for better weather for this weekend's partnership with CCCC's Green Building Program and Karen Hall with North Carolina State University and the Robeson Creek Watershed Council. Students and instructors from CCCC's Living Roof & Rain Gardens Class provided much welcomed labor and technical expertise to improving the rain garden behind the Community House and installing a living roof at the New Town Park. Karen Hall provided funding and additional technical expertise.

First, instructor Fred Royal PE, guided his students through a process of tweaking the performance of Community House raingarden by adding a fore-bay sump and modifying the overflow outfall. They also removed about 3-4 cubic yards of sediment from the garden and replaced it with about 2 cubic yards of mulch as a preventive maintenance item. The volunteer crew made short work of the project. The students also viewed the plans and progress of the rain garden under construction at the New Town Park, and visited other raingardens scattered throughout Pittsboro.

The Community House raingarden captures all of the stormwater from the parking lot to the West, retains it for a short period and then releases it gradually to minimize sudden damaging influxes into our streams. Plants and soil bacteria filter out substances which lower our water quality.

The hard working crew helping with the rain garden behind the community house.

The next day, much of the same crew showed up to install the demonstration living roof on the new gazebo under construction at the New Town Park. Again, they worked really efficiently and had fun in the process. Rhonda Goolsby of Green Sky Sustainable Design taught this section of the course. Like rain gardens, living roofs (green roofs) slow run-off into our streams and provide filtering benefits; they're especially effective in urban environments. Additionally, they provide an extremely durable, low maintenance roofing surface with an expected life span of over 50 years.

THANKS INSTRUCTORS & STUDENT VOLUNTEERS!

Bucket brigade used to get the special soil mix to the roof.
Rhonda Goolsby (in blue) instructor of the Living Roof Class with industrious volunteers.
Work remains on the gazebo, but the living roof component is installed & benefiting from tonight's rain.

Kiwanis Park Featured in Raleigh's News & Observer

Pittsboro's Kiwanis Park has been featured in todays News & Observer! If you get the hardcopy, it's the lead article in the Home and Garden section.

article here:

http://www.newsobserver.com/life/story/200703.html

Kiwanis Park Featured on Playscapes

The renovations at Kiwanis Park are currently featured on my favorite blog, Playscapes, a blog about playground design. Yea! The following quotes help sum up the raison d'etre of Playscapes, with which I can relate.

"Because it's difficult to find non-commercial playground information. And I find that frustrating.
Because a playground doesn't have to cost a million bucks and come in a box. In fact, it's better if it doesn't.
Because playgrounds are under-recognized as an artistic medium.
Because everybody loves a playground."

The site has had a huge influence on me and hence on our nascent parks system. If you think about it, the philosophy reflects the healthy balance of fiscal conservativeness with the spirit of resourcefulness and innovation that so aptly characterizes Pittsboro.

Thanks again to all of the contractors, designers, public works and professional staff who made the renovation what it was. Also thanks the Pittsboro Kiwanis, Genevieve Megginson, Partnership for Children, the Pittsboro Governing Board and staff of 2001-2004, Progress Energy, Chatham County United Way, the Piedmont Conservation Council, Pittsboro Area Health Initiative, the Chatham Parks Foundation, Active Chatham and a dedicated group of parents (you know who you are) for their insight, vision and determination to create the park back in 2001. This has definitely been a collaborative effort.

Pittsboro Bach Society Free Concert Nov 8 - 3PM

It just so happens that our Community House's acoustics are perfect chamber music. As such, the Pittsboro Bach Society is hosting a free concert there on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 3:00 PM.

From their website: The Pittsboro Bach Society will present a free concert at 3:00 pm at the Pittsboro Community House, 65 Thompson Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312. The program will feature North Carolina Symphony Concertmaster Brian Reagin in the E Major Violin Concerto by J.S. Bach. He will also perform the Bach Double Violin Concerto in d minor with a different member of the Bach Society playing the second violin solo part in each movement. Our soloists will be Mara Shea, Ted Ehrhard, and Alan Mele. Dean Herington will conduct.

For more info contact Ted Ehrhard at 919-545-9019

More Photos From the Sculpture Show

Here are a few more photos from the Kiwanis Sculpture Show held last Saturday. Pittsboro and Chatham County are exceedingly lucky to have such a plethora of artists among us! We're accustomed to it, but very few communities of our size have such a concentration of talented artists. It's part of what makes our area great.Sculpture by Tamera Mulinex. My photo doesn't capture how perfectly this piece was suited for the site chosen by the artist. It just fits perfectly from all views.

These colorful pieces by artist Lou Horton brightened up a dreary rainy day. Also note a bird made by Forrest Greenslade to the right of them and a metal flower on the cedar pole made by Holly Felice. There's a close up of the latter two pieces here along with a slideshow of other photos.

A piece by Jeff Hackney - foreground and a reading bench by Mike Roig - background.

A close-up of the reading bench by Mike Roig.

A gorgeous piece by show organizer Edwin White.

An appropriately whimsical piece by Steve Cote. Is that cool or what?

Kiwanis Park Sculpture Show

The weather muted the sculpture show's attendance this Saturday, but it was still a great event. My deepest gratitude is extended to all of the participating artists, especially to Eddie White for organizing the event, and Holly Felice for manning the event booth through rain and shine. Visit this web album for more photos of some of the works on hand. Thanks also to the folks at the Chatham Arts Council booth for directing people out to the park.

Thumbs up for the Sculpture Show at Kiwanis Park. Work by Steve Cote.