News – Page 6 – Alamance County Parks and Recreation

First Saturday Hikes

Written by on March 31, 2016. Posted in Haw River Trail, Outdoors, Parks & Trails.

Did you know that Alamance Parks offers First Saturday hikes throughout the year? Park technician and environmental educator Kim Brown guides hikes through different locations in the Alamance Parks system during the spring, summer, and fall. The first hike in this series will take place this Saturday, April 2nd at Great Bend Park from 9:00am-10:00am.

Kim will lead a hike on the Highland and Island Trails of Great Bend Park, which feature slightly rolling terrain and stays really close to the river. The total hike will be about 2.25 miles.

Meet at 9:00am in the parking lot of Great Bend Park at 350 Greenwood Drive, Burlington, NC 27217. If you plan to participate, please sign up using RecDesk (https://alamance.recdesk.com). Future hikes will take place at a variety of other locations, including Sellers Falls, the newest section of the Haw River Trail.

photo from beekeeping program photo from beekeeping program photo from beekeeping program

Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party

Written by on March 31, 2016. Posted in Community Centers, Eli Whitney.

Help celebrate the 85th year of the Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party! The Quilting Party will be held next Thursday, April 7, from 8:30am-1:00pm at the Eli Whitney Recreation Center. This quilting event has been held at the Eli Whitney Recreation Center since 1931. A combination quilt show and quilting bee, anyone is invited to bring and display quilts, old or new; bring a project to work on; or just come to look around. The community quilt is available for novice and experienced quilters alike to try their hand on. This year will once again feature the Sharing Table, a bring-one, take-one resource for swapping books and magazines about quilting. There is a potluck lunch at 1pm- bring a covered dish if you’d like to join in!

Free & open to the public. For more information or to volunteer call 919-259-8510 or 919-595-6224. Additional information is available on the Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party Facebook Page.

You’ll also have the opportunity to see the recent improvements to the Eli Whitney Recreation Center. Alamance Parks staff have worked hard this past winter to overhaul the fitness center, repaint the facility’s interior, and update the landscaping. We have also installed a new playground, supported by a grant from Impact Alamance, which will be open to the public in time for the Quilting Party. The new playground features a custom play structure reflecting the culture and history of Eli Whitney Recreation Center, a large sunshade awning with picnic tables under it, and ample seating for parents.

photo of winners from 2015 cane pole fishing hole derby photo of winners from 2015 cane pole fishing hole derby

Cane Pole Fishing Hole Derby- Come out and fish with us!

Written by on March 31, 2016. Posted in Events, Outdoors.

SOAC Spring Games and Fundraising

Written by on March 21, 2016. Posted in Special Olympics, Special Populations, Special Populations Events.

Special Olympics Alamance County serves over 350 children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities in Alamance County, giving them the opportunity to train and compete in Olympic-type sports and providing access to physical activity and community. There is currently a lot going on with SOAC- we have athletes cycling, bowling, golfing, swimming, and playing basketball. Best of all, our biggest event of the year is coming up on April 15th- Spring Games! This event will take place at Belk Track on the Elon University campus next to the football stadium. Spring Games is one of the biggest volunteer opportunities in the county, with almost 1000 volunteers involved each year. It includes two track and field events for over 350 Special Olympic athletes, including a 100M walk/run/roll and a softball/tennis ball throw for distance. The Games also include Olympic Town games and activities, as well as free play, and for many of these athletes this is the highlight of their year with SOAC.

Please consider volunteering for Spring Games! If you would like to receive our volunteer information email please click here. Spring Games volunteers receive free food and an awesome T-Shirt but most importantly you are making a difference in our athletes’ lives.

We are also always fundraising for our athletes. It takes about $30,000 per year to run Special Olympics here in Alamance County. SOAC provides its services at no charge to our athletes. Our overhead includes meals, uniforms, T-Shirts, transportation, and equipment (the salary of the local coordinator and benefits are graciously paid by Alamance County). If you or your business are interested in giving please contact Steve Glahn at (336) 570-6760. Or, if you give to the United Way, please consider designating your gift to SOAC. Hope to see you at the Games!

photo collage with Union Bridge Paddle Access kiosk sign, a view of the Haw River from the access, and a photo of staff installing the stairs at the access photo collage with Union Bridge Paddle Access kiosk sign, a view of the Haw River from the access, and a photo of staff installing the stairs at the access

Union Bridge Paddle Access Completes the Haw River Paddle Trail in Alamance County

Written by on March 10, 2016. Posted in Haw River Trail, Outdoors, Parks & Trails.

Union Bridge Paddle Access on Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road is the 14th and final Paddle Access in the Alamance County portion of the Haw River Paddle Trail, completing almost 40 miles of Paddle Trail through the County. The Haw River Paddle Trail through Alamance County starts at the Brooks Bridge Paddle Access on the Guilford-Alamance County line and now ends at Union Bridge Paddle Access on the Alamance-Orange County line.

After today, this final access point will be complete! Our staff are busy installing the final steps in the steel staircase framework leading down to the river. This is our steepest access point, requiring the longest staircase yet- the final framework measured in at 26 feet! Once a framework is in place, the final steps can go in when the water level in the river is low enough that it is not covering the bottom of the framework. Staff have been hard at work on this access point but with all the rain we’ve had recently, the river has been high and this final touch was delayed. We’re excited to finish it up!

Union Bridge Paddle Access is designed much like the other HRT Paddle Accesses in Alamance County. It offers a parking area that can accommodate several vehicles, informational kiosks with maps of the paddle trail, and the steel staircase leading down to the river for easy put-in and take-out. This access provides a halfway point between Saxapahaw Mill Race Paddle Access and the 15-501 Paddle Access at Bynum Dam, currently an 11-mile stretch.

The paddle from Saxapahaw Mill Race Paddle Access down to Union Bridge Paddle Access is approximately 5 miles and is recommended as an intermediate section. This is a fun paddle with intermittent rapids and moving water, as well as a few leisurely sections with beautiful views of the river and its wildlife. The minimum recommended USGS gauge level for this section is 2.1 feet at Haw River. To check the USGS gauge and learn more about the Paddle Trail, please visit the HRT website at thehaw.org.

telescope photos of the Orion Nebula telescope photos of the Orion Nebula

Making Time to Look Up

Written by on March 3, 2016. Posted in Events, Outdoors.

From Jason Witherspoon, Program Leader:

Most of the time when I am outside I spend a lot of time looking down. I have a background in horticulture and it makes me feel comfortable to know the plants around me. When I’m in my yard I’m identifying weeds and if I’m walking a trail I’m trying to ID native plants, looking out for snakes and generally trying not to fall on my face. It is an empowering feeling to make sense of your surroundings. But when the sun sets, that all changes. The ground underfoot cannot be trusted and the trees are now the shadowy formless perches of all kinds of creatures. There is not much for the horticulturist in me to grab onto for comfort. So I looked up.

I have always been impressed with the early astronomers. You know, back in the day before reality TV and ESPN. With the lack of light pollution every evening must have grabbed the curiosity of many. For quite a few people they had the patience and made the time to sit and observe. Recently I have felt that same pull. Instead of eating dinner and watching TV at the end of the day I’ve been putting my coat back on and sitting in the dark on the back porch. And I was not bored. I started by reading a little ahead of time. I learned to find Orion and The Big Dipper and use the stars in those constellations to find other stars. Pretty soon the sky was not filled with nameless dots of light but Red Giants, nebulas and galaxies. I had found my White Oak and May Apple of the sky. I had made sense again of my surroundings. Not only that but I have found an intellectually stimulating pastime that will not run out of new material. I can do it by myself and practice solitude or I can invite a bunch of friends over, grill some meat, toast some marshmallows and share a little bit of my sky with them.

My experience has inspired me to start a new Stargazing program through the department to share this interest with others. You can come to as few or as many of the stargazing sessions as you want and enjoy taking a few moments to just look up together. The program is free of charge and open to the public. You don’t need any special equipment, but if you have binoculars please bring them. To sign up for a session please visit RecDesk (alamance.recdesk.com).

What You’ll See & Learn

We hope that you’ll join Jason for the new Stargazing program! In the first couple of sessions, he will share what he has learned about major constellations and points of interest such as The Big Dipper (an asterism that’s part of the constellation Ursa Major), Polaris (the North Star, compass to the ancient world), Orion (one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky), and how to use these “road markers” to find other constellations and stars of interest. In the process, you will have a chance to view the Orion Nebula (pictured in the photos); the constellations Cassiopeia and Andromeda (both observed by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd Century); and the planet Jupiter and some of its moons. Jason will also share resources for learning more about astronomy. This program is intended to be an informal forum to learn about astronomy in a comfortable group environment rather than in an instructional setting.

Resources: Astronomical information and history can be found on Wikipedia at the links above.

The leftmost image of the Orion Nebula is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons from authors ESO/J. Emerson/VISTA. As stated by the source, “This wide-field view of the Orion Nebula (Messier 42), lying about 1350 light-years from Earth, was taken with the VISTA infrared survey telescope at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. The new telescope’s huge field of view allows the whole nebula and its surroundings to be imaged in a single picture and its infrared vision also means that it can peer deep into the normally hidden dusty regions and reveal the curious antics of the very active young stars buried there.”

The rightmost image is also courtesy of Wikimedia Commons from authors NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team. As stated by the source, “In one of the most detailed astronomical images ever produced, NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured an unprecedented look at the Orion Nebula. … This extensive study took 105 Hubble orbits to complete. All imaging instruments aboard the telescope were used simultaneously to study Orion. The Advanced Camera mosaic covers approximately the apparent angular size of the full moon.”

photo of Mount Mitchell scenery photo of Mount Mitchell scenery

Celebrating 100 Years of Parks!

Written by on February 26, 2016. Posted in Outdoors, Parks & Trails.

2016 marks the Centennial anniversaries of both the U.S. National Park Service and North Carolina State Parks. Each organization is holding a series of events throughout the year to celebrate this important milestone in recognition of the continued protection, stewardship and appreciation of our natural and historic places. Explore the National Park Centennial events here and the North Carolina State Park Centennial events here. NC State Parks has also put together a video showcasing NC parks’ rich natural resources and recreational opportunities. Nearby Eno River State Park is hosting its Centennial event, “March Forth on March Fourth,” from March 4-6 with a series of guided hikes that will collectively cover almost all 30 miles of trails available in the park. Learn more here.

National and State Parks in NC

NC’s National Park sites include such familiar destinations as the Appalachian Trail, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and more. We even have Guilford Courthouse, a National Military Park, right next door in Guilford County! NC State Parks include favorites such as Grandfather Mountain, Pilot Mountain, Hanging Rock, Jockey’s Ridge, and more. The closest local site is Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area in Hillsborough. If you’ve never been, this local gem offers several miles of hiking trails and beautiful views of the surrounding area from this small mountain’s summit, as well as picnicking and fishing.

A Little Park History

The first National Park in the U.S. was Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, established by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. Yosemite National Park in California was also designated for preservation in the late 1800s, but remained a state park until the early 1900s. The U.S. National Park Service was formed on August 25, 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill creating the agency and charging it with stewardship of national parks and historic places; Stephen Mather was appointed the first director of the NPS. The National Parks system now includes 410 areas encompassing more than 84 million acres. Check out some quick facts about the National Park Service here.

The North Carolina State Parks system was also created in 1916. Mt. Mitchell State Park in Burnsville, NC, was one of the nation’s first state parks, and the first designated in North Carolina. It came into being through the efforts of concerned citizens and Governor Locke Craig. Since then, nearly a quarter million acres of land have been added to the NC park system. You can learn more about the history of NC State Parks here.

Both the National Park Service and the North Carolina State Parks system hope that the Centennial milestone will remind our communities of the importance and opportunities associated with conserving, protecting, and managing our nation’s and state’s natural and historic resources.

Resources: Historical information for this post was found through the NC State Parks and National Park Services websites, Wikipedia, and NCPedia. The cover photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons contributor Two Hearted River.

photo of Special Olympics Athlete shooting hoops photo of Special Olympics Athlete shooting hoops

Special Olympics Basketball Tournaments

Written by on February 12, 2016. Posted in Special Olympics, Special Populations.

This month at Alamance Parks, Special Olympics Alamance County held two separate local basketball tournaments. On February 4th all of the Special Olympics athletes in elementary and middle schools met for a day of competition and games. Project Unify students (typical students that buddy up with SO athletes) are included in the competition and are part of the three athlete and two Project Unify students teams.

The day included tournament competition, individual skills competition, and Motor Activity Training Program for athletes with limited mobility. We always manage to get in some dancing and parachute games as well! This year we were blessed with a grant from Impact Alamance that allowed us to include a dozen additional game options including a giant 12-foot inflatable basketball goal and tug-of-war!

The scene was repeated again on February 11th for the local high schools where the emphasis was definitely on some serious basketball. 21 teams competed in 7 divisions with over 150 athletes and Project Unify volunteers. We all had time to sit down to a lunch including McDonald’s burgers, chips donated from Lowes Foods, bananas from Steve’s Garden market and ice cold water! It was an awesome day and all agreed it was great to get a day off school where we could exercise and see friends from around the county.

Thank you to all who volunteered and helped make these two events a complete success!

Little League Sign-ups Now Open!

Written by on February 10, 2016. Posted in Athletics, Little League.

Alamance County’s 2016 Little League season sign-ups are now open! Sign up and pay online by March 1st, 2016 using RecDesk at https://alamance.recdesk.com. Click here for the flyer, which includes full details and instructions for using RecDesk to sign up. The cost is $25/child and $15/each additional child, which includes uniform shirt and hat.

We offer:

Tee Ball for Girls & Boys ages 4-6
Baseball for Boys ages 6-12
Softball for Girls ages 6-12

Games will tentatively begin the week of April 18th for Baseball and Softball, and April 23rd for Tee Ball. Games and practices will be held at E.M. Holt Elementary and/or Swepsonville Ball Park. For more information, please call Athletics Coordinator Dan Moravec at (336) 570-6761.

2016 Special Olympics & Visually Impaired Program

Written by on February 3, 2016. Posted in Special Olympics, Special Populations, Visually Impaired Program.

For more information about Special Olympics or the Visually Impaired Program please contact Special Populations Coordinator Steve Glahn at (336) 570 6760.

–Special Olympics Alamance County serves almost 400 special needs athletes in the Alamance community and involves 1000s of volunteers yearly. We offer basketball, aquatics, golf, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian sports, and alpine skiing. We participate in 4 local tournaments and 8 statewide competitions. We also offer periodic special events and activities for our athletes, such as the recent basketball clinic with the UNC Chapel Hill team, which you can read about here.

Basketball: Basketball has started and the local tournaments are coming up on February 4th for elementary and middle schools and February 11th for high schools. Tournaments will be held at Fairchild Recreation Center from 8:30am to 2:00pm on both of those days. The state tournament will be in March.

Aquatics: The state aquatics meet occurs each summer. The aquatics practices have started.

Golf: The state golf competition takes place each fall.

Bocce: The local bocce tournament is held in October, the state tournament in November.

Bowling: The local bowling event occurs in December, the state one in November.

Cycling: The state cycling competition takes place in the fall.

Equestrian: The state equestrian competition takes place each October.

Alpine skiing: The skiing competition occurs in January.

*Cycling and bowling will begin soon.

–Spring Games 2016 will take place Friday, April 15th at Elon University. Each year SOAC partners with Elon University to present the Special Olympics Spring Games. The University provides facilities, volunteers, and support for the event. The Games include races, softball throws, games, and more. About 400 athletes participate each year with more than 1,000 volunteers involved.

-Our annual Unity in Community event takes place each fall. This special event brings together our special needs folks with the community for a day of sports, food, and fun.

-The Visually Impaired Program offers monthly outings for members of the community with visual impairments. Past activities have included bowling, a plane ride over Burlington, and mini golf. Recently, the VIP group joined the regular crowd at Pleasant Grove Community center for a potluck lunch and some high spirited bingo! The February VIP event will be a pottery outing. Stay tuned for dates.

County Commissioners

County Manager

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