News & Events

2021 Durham's Annual Beaver Queen Pageant

The 17th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant, World Wide Wood, is now on the interwebs at www.beaverqueen.org. The physical distancing required due to COVID-19 will prevent us from gathering in the Duke Park meadow, but it CANNOT and WILL NOT stop us from celebrating our inner beavers and our local wetlands!

13th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant Returns to the Duke Park Meadow

It's once again time for the Annual Beaver Queen Pageant! The pageant is in its 13th year and will be held Saturday, June 3rd in the meadow at Duke Park (Acadia at Knox Street). Pre-pageant activities begin at 4pm, and pageant starts at 5pm. The theme for this year’s pageant is “The Wizard of Gnawz!” This free event is a hit with kids of all ages due to the outrageous costumes and audience engagement.

It’s Tree Banding Time

Those little green canker worms/inchworms LOVE to eat willow oak leaves. Many of our older oaks are at or past their peak, so any additional stress is dangerous for them. That is why it is time to put out tree bands, those sticky bands that trap the females as they go up into the canopy to lay the eggs. (Even what looks like a crummy job, like I did last year, will still catch a lot of bugs.) City arborist Alex Johnson recommends putting up the bands up when 90% of the leaves have fallen or before the first hard frost, whichever comes first.

Night of Lights and Annual Membership Drive!

Duke Park neighbors and friends, every year as part of our annual fund-raiser, the Duke Park Neighborhood Association lights our streets and the perimeter of our beloved Duke Park with luminarias (those candles in white bags with sand), surrounding the park and most of the pathways.  Click read more for more details.

Bill Anderson Pavillion Fundraiser

The Parks and Rec department has submitted the design plan for the remodel of the Bill Anderson pavilion (the old bath house) for budget review. This is the first step toward actually getting the project funded. In our conversations with Tom Dawson of P&R, he has made it clear that the City Council is much more likely to fund a project where there is neighborhood support. That is where you (and your checkbook) come in. Our goal is to raise $10,000 in the neighborhood, which is a small fraction of the total cost, but which if we can raise it will be politically important. More detailed fundraising ideas and grant possibilities are being developed. Stay tuned for those. But the Board is sending this out now with the hope of getting the ball rolling. Pledges and checks will be gratefully accepted. Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the Duke Park Preservation Initiative, our 501(c)(3) arm. Mail them to Daniel Read, DPPI treasurer, 1424 Acadia Street, 27701.

Holiday Party! Saturday, December 3

The annual holiday party will be Saturday, Dec. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the home of Brian and Lina Nealon at 1818 Glendale Avenue.

The Association will provide soda and water, and napkins/plates/paper goods. You bring a dish to share, beer, wine or liquor if you want to, and a warm heart ready to socialize.

Spring Newsletter is out

Download the latest Around The Park neighborhood newsletter for Spring 2016.

http://www.dukepark.org/newsletter

Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association 11th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant

Dam! It's the 80's

Durham, NC – The 11th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant, a free and fun event, will be held on Saturday, June 4 in the meadow at Duke Park (Acadia at Knox Street). Pre pageant activities will begin at 4pm, and the pageant will start at 5pm. The theme for this year’s pageant is “Beavers do Bollywood!”

Mangum-Markham-Roxboro Plan Unveiled

The two intersections and block (100 East Markham) that make up this complicated and dangerous part of our neighborhood have been the subject of discussion and concern for along time. Since the street is part of US 15-501 it is controlled by state Department of Transportation. The City will fund the improvements but they have to be apporved by the State. The primary goals of the new design were to reduce traffic speed and increase safety for pedestrians.

Meeting on Siting Dog Park, August 11

We are working towards finding the right spot for our dog park. We have received overwhelming support from the neighborhood (as well as the city) for this project. We are still hashing out the details and making a final decision on location. This location will be determined by what makes the most sense in terms of traffic and parking, drainage, availability of water and electricity, maintenance, best use of resources, overall cost, shade, planning for future phases of the park including tennis courts and bathhouse renovations, etc.

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