Graham’s city council voted 3-2 Tuesday to adopt the latest plan for relocating the Sesquicentennial Park from its current location on the northwest corner of Court Square to the front of a parking lot around the corner on West Elm Street.
It marked the third consecutive month, and the third variation, on plans for the relocation of the park, which was vigorously opposed by dozens of people who turned out at the council’s February 10 meeting last month.
There was little discussion among council members who spent less than 10 minutes before deciding on one of two concept drawings presented by the firm the members had previously hired to design the park. The new park will be situated on the front portion of a parking lot on West Elm Street – between the Roasted Coffee Depot and law office of Tony DiLello and across the street from The Alamance News.
The vote was 3-2, with mayor pro tem Ricky Hall and council members Bobby Chin and Bonnie Whitaker agreeing on the preferred design. Mayor Chelsea Dickey, who has consistently stated that the existing location should be repaired, rather than moving the park, said the city “should not be moving forward” with the relocation.
She was joined in voting against the newest design by councilman Jim Young, who otherwise said he thought the design was attractive.
There was no mention that the pavilion or covered portion of the proposed park does not look like the brick gazebo from the current park, which council members had previously stated that they intended to move to the new location.
There was also no design or mention in the narrative accompanying the architectural renderings of the 400 or so memorial bricks that currently make up the floor of the current park. Most of the new park design is shown as green space, rather than paved or brick. It’s not clear what elements of the Sesquicentennial Park would be restored at the new location.
As with its two previous plans, the council did not conduct a public hearing on the proposal or otherwise allow public comments or questions.
[Story continues below renderings of the earlier park plans.]
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
Assistant city manager Aaron Holland also noted that the plans would have to be reviewed by the Historic Resources Commission, probably in a special meeting, in order to expedite its consideration and approval before seeking bids.
There was also no indication, yet, on the potential cost of the relocation or construction of the new park.
The newest design did pick up four parking spaces along West Elm Street that will be in front of the park.
Historic Resources Commission appointments
Meanwhile, the council also named two new members of the Historic Resources Commission. By a unanimous vote of 5-0, the council decided on Sandra Hall, and by a 4-1 vote (with the mayor dissenting), they named Richard Shevlin.
Other applicants who were not appointed were: Jim Albright, Kay Alspach, Samuel Cohoon, Corbin Craig, David Heath, Ricky Hurtado, Timothy Moore, and Jenson Roll.
During public comments later in the meeting, Albright said that while two council members had encouraged him to apply for the Historic Resources Commission, neither had supported him for the position Tuesday night, which he concluded was because of his strenuous support for keeping the current location of the Sesquicentennial Park.
Hall and Shevlin will join other members: Zipporah Clark Baldwin, who chairs the commission, as well as Young who is still listed as a member, Karen Chin (the councilman’s wife), and Ben Beushausen.
MORE LOCAL NEWS THAN YOU’LL FIND ANYWHERE ELSE! SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
