Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Summer Spades Tournament


UPDATE:
The second round is July 20th @ 3pm!

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It's that time of year again... The Bulls are back playing, mosquito's are biting, shorts and pastels are coming out of closets, and Cleveland-Holloway is ready to host its summer Spades tournaments again.

If you're not familiar with this tradition, the neighborhood hosts monthly spadestournaments all summer long as a way to build community and promote some healthy competition.  There are cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place which the neighborhood provides (we also ask that each team bring some sort of extra donation for the pot - doesn't have to be monetary - if you're able).  

The first tournament will be held on Saturday June 15th at Oakwood Park.  We are going to start at 2PM sharp (if your team is not present at 2PM you will be ineligible for the prize).  The tournament should end around 5:30.

Look forward to seeing you there!

-Timothy  

Friday, July 12, 2013

The Local Historic District Expansion

by: Tiffany Graves

"On June 21, 2010, the Planning Department received a citizen petition to expand the 
Holloway Street Local Historic District. The request was to expand the local district to 
align with the National Register Historic District boundary increase that was recently 
established."
"Planning staff surveyed an area slightly larger than the National Register district to 
determine the appropriate boundary for the local district."

And so began the possible changes to the Cleveland Holloway Local Historic District (LHD) boundaries.
The proposed map would be a large addition to the current boundaries which mostly only include a couple of blocks on Holloway street and Cleveland street (below in blue).  The Planning Commission put forth a map for approval with two separate options: one that includes the green area below and one that excludes the green area from the LHD (Alternatives A & B). 
Easy as pie, right?  Wrong (and by the way, I've messed up my share of pies).
Changing land boundaries and zoning is usually never easy, and it probably shouldn't be.  There are a few land owners that have stepped forward and said they don't want to be inside dotted, striped line (properties shown in red).  A note that our beloved green-thumb neighbors, SEEDs, have also requested not to be added but are not highlighted in red.  Each of these owners have their own varied and valid reasons. 
Many neighbors have prominently voiced concerns about including (or not including) the 600 block of Queen street, the western-most of the red areas.  Remember the Alternative A & B above, the green highlighted land?  Yes, there is the main area of contention.  
There are, of course, reasons for this neighbor concern including that the land there has much more dense zoning and the entire square block is now vacant and ready to be developed.  Basically, something will be built-up there probably soon.  Planning by its current owners has already begun.  So, several in the neighborhood think it's appropriate for that land to be put in the LDH in order to ensure that what ever is developed there is appropriately scaled and maintains the history of the area.  The land had contained historically-contributing homes for over a century.  Other issues such as traffic, lack of neighborhood parking and sidewalks, housing diversity and affordability also weigh in.

A Planning Commission meeting occurred on July 9th where most would agree confusion surrounding the actual map was a major factor.  The vote ended in a tie on accepting the boundary increase with Alternative A.  The process now moves to the City Council where we wait to see what will happen next.

Stay tuned!

If you want more information on the issue please read the PDF linked above.  









Sunday, July 7, 2013

Growing up in Cleveland Holloway

As grown folks play horseshoes, the rhythmic clank of metal on metal heard streets away, the children of Cleveland Holloway add their chorus of glee.
Cleveland Holloway abounds with childhood. Mr. Troy returns home from the horseshoe pit when the kids get home from school. He takes up his quiet perch on his porch, keeping both eyes on the kids and sometimes enjoying a pipe.  Teresa and Chris spend evenings after work on their porch watching as their youngest son speeds up and down the street on his bike, racing with Tyree, the fastest biker in the neighborhood.  Ian and Madeline catch a glimpse of each other and run screaming each other’s name down the sidewalk, ending up in a puddle of hugs and eventual comparisons of the contents of their pockets (rocks, bugs, flowers).
On weekends, Tymel walks up the street and starts doing cartwheels across the lawn while reciting lines from Scarface, and his little sister Kristina comes running up behind asking if she can play too. They visit with kids and adults, looking for fun.
Some of the most kind and generous children live in this neighborhood. Games are expanded as more people show up, the youngest are fawned over, and the oldest help keep everyone in line.  Tiana’s balancing the line between childhood and grown, watching out for the littler kids, but giggling and cutting up with them as much as she can. She helps plant the garden, dutifully watering every flower and tomato and hoping that it will somehow grow this year.
Children in Cleveland Holloway live a magically charmed life. They can walk to the farmers market and have their pick of vacant lots, gardens, and parks in which to play.
I’ve bridged life stages of single young thing, part of hip couple, and now mommy in my decade in Cleveland Holloway. I’ve watched the little girls and boys grow into adults and parents in their own right. Roshaunda introduced me, coming over after school to make brownies with me (math) or tell stories (reading), or just have a quiet place to sit when life got too hectic. She’d flit between mine and Bill’s porch, Bill insisting that she walk to the library and check  out books, while I quizzed her on her multiplication tables or taught her fractions in the street. Lashena and Alex were the big girls back then, keeping their heads down, going to school, working part time, looking out for everyone and being taken care of in return.
Lashena and Alex are grown now and their respective son and daughter, Reginald and Sylvia, are the oldest of the current Cleveland Holloway babies. When Madeline was born, Sylvia toddled slowly down the street and up the walk to see the new baby that she’d get to play with one day.   
So many children.  Every year kids move here, are born here, play here, and create friendships on these streets. Children have passed on here as well leaving sweet memories of their time with us and inspiring new traditions.
Little Jana will turn two years old soon. Neighbors organized a surprise baby shower for her parents, only to be surprised ourselves when she decided she needed to be born during the shower!  Her mother shared the vegan cake as her father loaded the car to go to the hospital. Dragana and Jana like to stroll around the neighborhood and people watch. “In the past few months while watching Jana all day I've been pretty grateful that we live within walking distance to so many new destinations (coffee shops, bakeries,central park, farmker's market).


While it does not make a huge difference to Jana where you walk, it has been more enjoyable to me to walk to a destination three times a day instead of just hanging out at a park. We also both have a great time people watching downtown. “
A big fan of Mr. Tom’s story time at the Main Durham Library, they hang out at the library a lot, taking part in the activities for the kids. Jana is also one of the kids at our great neighborhood daycare center, Kurmi Wasi  (http://kurmiwasi.weebly.com/). “It's awesome having a trusted neighbor watch your child when you can't.”
Ivy and Isabella are getting settled into the neighborhood.  Their mom and dad like to walk with them to the Durham Bulls and the YMCA. The girls love riding their bikes down the sidewalk to Oakwood Park where they play on the swings and see-saw or meet up with other little ones for adventure.  The walks around the neighborhood, out to downtown and American Tobacco help Ivy and ‘Bella make this neighborhood their home.


A couple of Saturdays ago, Madeline, Hayes, Ash, and Z walked to the Farmer’s Market. At the sandbox they ran into Ian, while their grown-ups ran into Elaine, Dylan, Taylor, and Cliff.  Community feels palpable here as the friendships formed on familiar streets are explored and deepened across a city.

-by Natalie (April 2012)

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