Graham’s city council moved to establish more precise hours for the city’s parks, deciding to allow posted hours of 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. between March through October and 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from November through February.
Recreation and parks director Brian Faucette explained that the current hours are generally from “dawn to dusk.”
The hours will apply at the city’s three main parks: Bill Cooke on Town Branch Road, South Graham on Rogers Road, and the city’s regional park on Jim Minor Road.
Faucette had originally proposed that the March through October hours end at 9:00, prompting mayor Chelsea Dickey to suggest that the 9:00 hours “may be early,” recommending instead an extra hour.
That didn’t go over well with mayor pro tem Ricky Hall who said he predicted complaints from residents around the South Graham Park after 9:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, councilman Bobby Chin said “9:00 is plenty time enough” time for the park to be open. “Some people go to sleep by 9:00,” he said.
Ultimately, the council voted 3-2 for a motion from council member Bonnie Whitaker for the extra hour. It was supported by Whitaker, Dickey, and councilman Jim Young. Hall and Chin voted against.










