Residents Invited to Renovation Celebration at Belmont Park

Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) is excited to unveil and welcome the community to one of its newest renovated parks - Belmont Park. The festivities will be on Saturday, September 18, from 10 a.m. - 12 noon at the park (2202 Sovereign Street).

The transformation at Belmont Park was made possible through Durham's Participatory Budget (PB) Improvement Projects. The program has been a priority by Durham City Council since 2018 to empower and amplify community voices to help them decide in greater detail how funds will be spent.

DPR team members hosted a community conversation to co-develop ideas on the design, with the results focusing on environmentally-friendly enhancements to create active and passive space uses.

The leading wish of the neighborhood and premier feature of the park is the bicycle pump track. This feature includes a looped circuit of hills, berms, and banked turns designed to be ridden completely by riders using an 'arm-pumping' motion to generate momentum instead of pedaling. There is also a strider bike track specifically designed to help young children learn how to balance and coordinate before peddling.

The entire concept, design, and process align with DPR's mission and core pillars of service to the community. 'The best projects in Durham are the ones we get to work alongside the community from start to finish, taking their dreams and turning them into reality,' said DPR Director Wade Walcutt. 'We're so excited to be doing this type of work for the community, and today marks the beginning of several other park improvements the community can expect to see all over Durham during the next 12-18 months. In fact, DPR will be unveiling another park improvement at Wrightwood on September 29 from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.'

Residents can also explore the Belmont Park Dragon, a public art sculpture with interactive elements woven into the design to engage visitors both visually and physically. The Dragon sculpture was a collaborative piece designed and installed by Red Rabbit Wood Carving and Nature Trails NC, LLC , a North Carolina-based design and installation team with extensive experience building family-friendly pump tracks in natural settings.

Some of the park's additional environmentally friendly features include improved pedestrian access to allow for better street access and visibility from cars, a natural surface walking path, cedar benches, native landscaping under large oak shade trees, and a refurbished cedar top picnic table which is a perfect setting to enjoy a good book or a family picnic.

Participants are encouraged to walk or bike to the celebration, as there is limited parking for this neighborhood park. Bikers are encouraged to wear safety gear, including helmets, knee and elbow pads, while enjoying the bike and strider track.

For more information visit DPRPlayMore.org or call (919) 560-4355. Contact Cynthia Booth at 919-389-4941 for day of media inquiries.

About Durham Parks and Recreation

Durham Parks and Recreation provides opportunities for the Durham community to Play More by connecting our whole community to wellness, the outdoors, and lifelong learning. To learn more about Durham Parks and Recreation, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or call (919) 560-4355.

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