Check out the master plan. I think the end result will take more parking OUT of the park and focus it, (as well as improve its total impervious surface through construx BUT we shall see…and it will take time.
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Yeah that’s correct. There’s tons of asphalt in Dix currently. Hopefully the city replaces it with thoughtfully laid out Low Impact Development style parking á la NCMA that is both more environmentally and aesthetically pleasing
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I heavily advocated for more leisure on other things they could improve on. Like a Ferris Wheel at Dix Park like In London; or a strip of amusement rides owned & operated by the City of Raleigh like in Coney Island, or the pier in Los Angeles. It couldn’t be closed during the time the State Fair is in Raleigh to avoid competition and conflict. And one person had the same idea as mine. I’m not saying turn Dix Park into a theme park just put more leisure there so the park could be lot of things everywhere you go!!!
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The park is huge and could easily host some of that. Your post got me thinking. How about things like a skate park, rock climbing wall, ice rink in winter, ropes course, splash water park, etc? It’s been a while since I looked at the master plan. These types of things do not take much space and could easily be added in the future in certain pockets of the park.
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I know everyone would have a chicken if this happened, but a rock climbing wall attached to the side of the historic hospital going up 50 feet or so would be pretty badass. Would have to have triangle rock club involved
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I was thinking about a rock wall along the trestle they are proposing.
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City of Raleigh =. Paralysis by Analysis. Will be surprised if any significant progress is made this decade .
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The good news is that an asphalt parking lot is easily removed and returned to a grassy field or knoll.
Agreed it will take years. I may be too old by the time they build a rock climbing wall or ropes course to enjoy it. But maybe my grandkids will be able too.
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I might be dead by then!
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I’ve always wondered why we don’t see more rock climbing walls as part of high-rise buildings, especially those with residential and (presumably—seems like the way things are going) fitness centers for residents. If you’re going to go tall, it would be a great place for something on a vertical orientation.
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I think the idea they already adopted (keeping parts of the main hospital for event venues, museums, and/or hotels integrated with a central plaza with a view of DTR) is pretty destination-worthy and more flexible.
But I’m sure there’s other places with steep inclines that could be converted into rock walls? Especially if you can deactivate the rail line that cuts through the park with @orulz’s Raleigh Artery idea.
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Liability. People can be stupid.
True, which is why Triangle rock club would help make any wall successful. You have to sign your life away before climbing.
Off topic: I went skydiving a few weeks ago in the Fla. Keys and definitely waived all liability of injury beforehand!
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Chicago has one in Maggie Daley Park
How many of ya’ll have young kids?
Just wondering, because having kids changed my tune on transit vs. cars. I moved downtown bc I kind of wanted to give up my car and walk to everything. I bought an old house, walkable to downtown and was vocal on less parking decks/ more transit, etc…
5 years later I am the enemy. I have a truck (bc fixing up an old house is constant and expensive), I have 2 kids and I literally drive everywhere.
I used to use the restaurants and bars the most downtown, now it’s the playgrounds and the parks. And if you know how kids attention span/ sleep schedules work, you are always rushing around. There isn’t time to wait for a bus or try to plan out a route w/ your kids. I mean I guess people do it, and i applaud them, but I’d go insane trying to do this with my kids.
Anyways, just an alternate perspective from someone who used to fight on the other side.
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I would say you’re more the victim than the enemy. Cities should be built incrementally, with an incrementally intense mix of use, with pedestrian oriented alleys and streets. So that you and your kids could walk to many daily needs.
I wish someone could buy an old house in my neighborhood and convert it to a convenience store and produce market, but alas, mixed use is reserved for only the 5% of cities’ land area now.
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I was born in Raleigh and the first 16 years of my life were bus (and some taxi) riding with my parents. this was many decades ago and the busses ran through more neighborhoods. I could literally walk out my front door to the sidewalk, stand and wave at the bus and get a ride. I was doing this in the third grade by myself, roughly 1978, and seemed great at the time. yeah…the car I got eventually helped but it can be done. but the transit spending for greater frequency and coverage might be beyond what most want.
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for comparison, when i lived on clarendon crescent in longview in the late 70s i could walk or bicycle up to new bern ave, cross it and get to a winn dixie in about 1/2 a mile. at the time it seemed a reasonable, easy to traverse distance. or, there was a small market at millburnie and i think king charles called larrys supermarket, also about 1/2 mile from where i lived. they had a renown butcher if i recall correctly. i think this area (early on considered suburbs) was planned in the late 50s or so. east of this area may not have quite the ease of access to necessity type shopping (ie waterford landing area).
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I used to use the restaurants and bars the most downtown, now it’s the playgrounds and the parks. And if you know how kids attention span/ sleep schedules work, you are always rushing around. There isn’t time to wait for a bus or try to plan out a route w/ your kids. I mean I guess people do it, and i applaud them, but I’d go insane trying to do this with my kids.
When your kids get old enough they need to go places but they don’t have cars yet, you won’t enjoy driving them everywhere if there’s no transit.
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