Parkwood Neighborhood News

And we hope y'all will love the 2015 annual Parkwood Christmas Holiday parade. Parade starts at 3pm on Saturday, Dec. 5th. The route is unchanged from last year; this map shows the route and park-and-view locations . New this year: Food trucks! American Meltdown Bam Pow Chow Make-and-Take holiday craft table sponsored by The Scrap Exchange . After the parade, come to the office to let the kids meet Santa, and enjoy the festive music of the Parkwood Players. We still need volunteers for the day of the parade--if you can help out, please get in touch with the Parkwood office.

On   Friday, December 4th , we will be decorating two parade floats--one in memory of Betty Ertell, and one for Santa and Mrs. Claus--in the Parkwood office parking lot. We should be starting around   10:30am   or so. Volunteers to help decorate would be most appreciated. We also need at least 10 volunteers on the day of the parade itself, Saturday, December 5th.     If you can help, please get in touch with the office.      

Come out to the 2015 Parkwood Craft Bazaar, rain or shine, tomorrow! (Sat., Nov. 14th) Hours: 10am-2pm Where: The Parkwood office parking lot, 1417 Seaton Road. In the unlikely event of rain, the bazaar will be inside in the Community Center.

We have confirmed our second food truck for the 2015 Parkwood Christmas Holiday parade, and it's American Meltdown , from our own corner of South Durham. My mouth is watering just reading their menu!

New for the annual parade this year, we'll be featuring two food trucks set up in the office parking lot on Seaton Road. The first food truck to tell everyone about is Bam Pow Chow -- "fine dining quality with affordable and casual prices." 2015 will be their first year at the Parkwood parade, and we want to thank them for joining us this year. The parade itself starts at 3pm on Saturday, Dec. 5th, so come out early to grab a spot to watch, and pick up some lunch while you're at it--check out their menu . When we get the second food truck confirmed, we'll let everyone know. Meanwhile, please give a warm Parkwood welcome to Bam Pow Chow.

At the October 2015 monthly Board of Directors meeting, the Board elected its officers: Jacob Ehrisman, President James Beidler, Vice President Pandora Simpson, Secretary Matthew Schellenberg, Treasurer Board members and officers can be reached via the Parkwood office email . Many thanks to the outgoing officers for their years of service, and welcome to the new Board members and officers.

Due to the worsening weather forecast, we are rescheduling the Flea Market to Saturday, Oct. 10th, 8am to noon. Note we've also shifted the start time by an hour, to take into account the later sunrise in the fall. If we get rained out again on the 10th, there will not be another reschedule. We hope everyone stays safe and dry, and we'll see you all on the 10th.

In case you missed the announcements in the August and September Inside/Outs, the annual Parkwood Fall Flea Market & Community Yard Sale is happening on Saturday, October 3rd, from 7-11am. For Parkwood residents, there is a refundable $5 deposit that you get back at the end of the Flea Market once your space has been cleaned up. For non-residents, the fee is $10. Here's the form to fill out in order to register . Please email it to the Parkwood office, or feel free to bring it in person. If the office is closed, you can deposit it in the mailbox. To participate in the Community Yard Sale, please email the office with your street address, so we can put a list together.

During the Annual Meeting on September 8, we will be voting on a number of proposed bylaws changes. These changes have been collected based on homeowner feedback and extensive discussion. For the benefit of your knowledgeable vote, we would ask that you review these in detail before the meeting and submit any questions you have in advance to parkwoodbylawscommittee@gmail.com. In addition, we will have a meeting on Thursday, September 3 at 7pm at the Association office to answer questions regarding the items presented. List #1: Changes proposed by the Committee BACKGROUND The list below is divided into two sections: 1. A list of non-substantive proposed changes which were reviewed and generally agreed to by the Bylaws Committee for submission to the homeowners for voting on September 8, 2015. These items have been approved by the Association’s legal counsel. These will be voted on in the Annual Meeting as one motion. 2. A list of more substantive proposed changes which were

Starting the week of August 17th, the Parkwood Office hours are changing. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays will be the same, but Tuesdays and Thursdays the office will be open from 12-8pm. This will make it easier for people to come in after work (to sign forms, drop off keys, etc).

Ever since our yards started being dug up, people have wondered when AT&T's U-verse-- their ultra-high speed Internet service--would be available. The answer for some in Parkwood is today. http://wraltechwire.com/at-t-formally-launches-ultra-fast-internet-service-in-durham/14783131/ To find out if your address qualifies, go to AT&T's U-verse site . Before you make the decision to switch, you might want to check out William Sudderth's article in the July 2015 InsideOut, " Faster Fiber Comes With a Cost ."  .

The Raleigh News & Observer has started a feature called Past Times , by N&O reporter Teresa Leonard. As many of you saw, she recently featured our fine neighborhood and reprinted excerpts from a N&O story that was written back in 1963--52 years ago. Here's that original article in its entirety.

While residents have never needed a license to fish in the Parkwood Lake, if you want to fish in other bodies of water in our fair state, you need a fishing license. Except that on July 4th, from 12:01 am to 11:59pm, the NC Wildlife Commission has decreed that you can fish without a license . So load up your bait and poles on Saturday and have some fun!

The Parkwood Association office will be closed on Friday, July 3rd, for the Independence Day holiday and will resume normal business hours on Monday, July 6th. Durham County government offices will also be closed on the 3rd. Here's a roundup of some Fourth of July celebrations in Durham and around the Triangle Fireworks after the Durham Bulls home game on Saturday, July 4th . The 36th annual Festival for the Eno happens on July 4th and 5th . Fireworks, parades, music and food from Apex to Wake Forest and all points in between . However you choose to celebrate, have a safe and fun July 4th.

Due to the weather (thunderstorm watch until 8pm) the June 27 cookout and bike parade has been cancelled for the day.

Parkwood's almost famous annual bike parade will be on Saturday, June 27th, from 4-7pm at the ballfield. Decorating supplies will be available, and there will be a prize for the best decorated bike. There will also be food and games. Volunteers needed to help with grilling, handing out bike decorating supplies, etc. Please contact the office if you'd like to help.

Temperatures in Durham are soaring this week, with the 100-degree mark in the forecast for several days. Combined with high humidity, heat index values will be over 100 degrees. We have a heat advisory today , and probably will again tomorrow and Wednesday. Stay hydrated, stay indoors in the AC if possible, stay out of the sun, make sure outdoor pets have plenty of shade and water, and be sure to check on your elderly or disabled neighbors. If you haven't yet, this may be a good time to check out the Parkwood Swim Club , or some of the other public pools and spraygrounds in Durham .  

Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 13th for Summer Kickoff Kickball! From 10am to 1pm at the Parkwood Ball Field, kickball followed by cookout. Volunteers needed! Umpire, scorekeeper, food prep, setup, cleanup, and more. Contact Tenita or Janae if you'd like to help.

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and lots of folks are going to be traveling to the beach or hitting the area lakes and pools to cool off and relax. Here's some handy websites to help make your fun in the sun weekend both safe and enjoyable. Keep an eye on the traffic. NCDOT says all lanes of 440 East may not be open for the weekend. Skip the sunburn . Safe grilling tips . Drowning doesn't look like drowning , by retired Coast Guard rescue swimmer Mario Vittone. Know what to look for, and know that actual drowning doesn't look the way it does in movies and on TV. Staying close to home? Check out this list of free things to do in Durham . Or check WRAL's Out and About section. Do you love hot-air balloons? You'll want to explore the WRAL Balloon Fest this weekend in Zebulon and Raleigh. Whatever you do, have fun and be safe!

This is a friendly reminder about the Citizen Observer Patrol interest and recruitment meeting on Saturday morning, 10am at the Parkwood Volunteer Fire Dept on 1409 Seaton Road.

Durham Magazine is running its annual Best of Durham poll , with questions about Best Breakfast/Lunch, Best Greek/Mediterranean, and Best Neighborhood (which is Parkwood, obviously!). Check it out, and remember you can always write in your favorites if you don't see them listed.

This weekend, Saturday April 4th, the South Durham Farmers Market in the Greenwood Commons Shopping Center switches back to their summer hours. The market will be open from 8am to noon.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 2nd, 7am to 11am, for the annual Parkwood spring Flea Market and Community Yard Sale. The flea market will be in the Masjid Ibad Ar-Rahman mosque parking lot, beside the ball field. If you would like to reserve a space, there is a $5 deposit for Parkwood residents, or $10 non-refundable fee for non-Parkwood residents. Nonprofit organizations are welcome to register as food vendors for $35. Flea market participants: To reserve your space, please print and fill out the registration form and submit it to the office, along with your check . We also accept cash but don't recommend mailing cash. The office address is 1417 Seaton Rd., Durham NC, 27713, and forms can be turned in during regular business hours (9-4, M-F) or dropped in our mailbox. We will give you your assigned flea market space number when you register. Please only set up in your assigned spot. The deadline to request a space at the flea market is Thursday, April 30th.

Please remember that Parkwood 2015 assessments are due by March 31, 2015. To facilitate payment, we have put up a web page with payment options . If you have questions or need to find out your lot number, please call the Parkwood office during business hours (M-F, 8-5).

The Parkwood Community Activities Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled to be held on March 28. Stay tuned for more news regarding time and location.

The Parkwood Association cordially invites residents of southern Durham--Durham Police Districts 3 and 4 particularly--to a meeting to learn about the Citizen Observer Patrol . DATE: Saturday, April 25 TIME: 10am PLACE: Parkwood Volunteer Fire Department, 1409 Seaton Road, Durham NC, 27713 . The COP program uses trained citizen volunteers during daylight hours to perform non-emergency services that that police officers would otherwise do. The South Durham COP program, covering Districts 3 and 4, only has enough volunteers right now to patrol one day a week. According to the Durham Police COP coordinator, with 17 additional volunteers, this program could have volunteers on patrol every day of the week. ( District 3 map , District 4 map ) COP volunteers wear uniforms and patrol during daylight hours in specially-marked cars. They carry assigned hand-held radios linked directly to the central police dispatcher (which gives them direct contact with all uniformed police on patrol)

As of February 19, 2015, the Parkwood Google Group has 700 members! Signing up for the Google Group  gives Parkwood residents access to password-protected sections of the website, as well as allowing residents to participate in the official Parkwood list-serv and message board. Spread the word so that every resident in the neighborhood has access to these valuable resources. Thanks for participating in the "virtual" Parkwood and supporting your neighbors on the website!

Do you want to be a COP? Durham's Citizen Observer Patrol needs volunteers for Districts 3 and 4 (Parkwood is in District 4). The Parkwood Association is working with Officer John Suitt to recruit individuals who are interested in serving as COP volunteers. Our plan is to give interested individuals from Parkwood and the surrounding neighborhoods the opportunity to discuss the COP program with Officer Suitt, COP volunteers and police officers from Districts 3 & 4. The date for the meeting is Saturday, April 11, 2015 from 10-11am at the Parkwood Volunteer Fire Department. Please consider becoming a COP volunteer, and invite your spouse and your friends in Durham to also join and be your patrol partner. The more volunteers we have, with more hours of patrol, the safer our communities will be. Please notify the Parkwood Association office (919-544-2161, or email pa.office@parkwoodnc.org) if you plan to attend the meeting so that we can ensure that we have adequate meeting sp

The February 2015 issue of the InsideOUT features an article about Google Fiber coming to Durham, and Frontier Communications has also announced fiber plans for Durham. People want to know the best way to express their interest so that Parkwood is one of the areas that Google and Frontier give priority to. For Google Fiber: Plug in your street address on the Google Fiber website , then add your email address to be notified about updates. For Frontier Fiber , email your interest to FiberInquiriesDurham@FTR.com . Let's make sure these companies know that Parkwood wants fiber.

We have just received notice of a public hearing on Feb. 10th at 5:30 about the property just north of Hwy. 54, 1413-1501 Hwy. 54, north side of 54 between Barbee Rd. and Waterford Valley Dr., opposite Revere Road. More information here .

What do zombie plumbers want? Draaaiiiiiiins. What does the Parkwood Association want? Your response to our Drainage Survey, which you can now fill out from the comfort of your own computer! Online Parkwood Drainage Survey

Minutes for the December 11, 2014 Regular Board Meeting A. Welcome Guests No guests were present. B. Approval of Agenda Chris Sanford moved to approve the agenda; Lois Cox seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. C. Call to Order, Roll Call The meeting was called to order at 7:09pm. Board members present: Bill Mitchell (President), Martie Mangum (Vice President), William Crosmun (Vice President), Chris Sanford (Secretary), Joshua Klein, Jacob Ehrisman, Pandora Simpson, Lois Cox, Ann Marie Crosmun, Michael Brooks, and Matt Schellenberg. Also present were Jacob Ehrisman and Laura Haywood-Cory (office manager). Absent were: Bill Egan (Treasurer) (excused), Amanda Simmons (excused). Late arrivals: Shannon Green, James Black, Eric Syfrett. D. Selection of District 3 Director to Replace Bhupinder Singh Bill Mitchell moved that the Board approve Jacob Ehrisman as the permanent member of the board. Joshua Klein seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. E. Approva

The storm drainage system survey from the January 2015 Inside/OUT is now available online: Parkwood Storm Drainage System Survey Thank you to everyone who has already filled out and returned the survey.