That would be a great idea. I think a pavilion-type of structure would be great where it is open to the outdoors, yet protected from the elements. In the warmer months it could be used for ball/roller hockey and used for skating in the winter.
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More than likely it would have to have compressors set up as the City Plaza version used to as it’s not cold enough to maintain ice with the exception of a couple days a year.
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I figured it would be a setup like they have “up north.” A standard rink cooling system that could benefit from the cooler temps typical of our winters. Obviously it would require the system to be running most if not all days in the winter.
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A totally great idea! Someone please contact someone with the Dix group ASAP!
Please and thank you! 
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The Draft Master Plan has many great elements. I still see the Dawson-McDowell Connection and Western Blvd as a significant barrier. I hope the Master Plan will make strong recommendations for connecting Downtown and the neighborhoods south of Downtown to Dix Park – Wilmington Street, Cargill Site, Garner Road.
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I really don’t see that as easy as most people think…DD from DTR is going to be very hard for those with limited mobility…not just a hop, skip or jump…
Unless we can get a Norfolk Southern Rail Trail… 
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Ice rink would be nice but with all those trails, an ice ribbon would be incredible.
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OMG 
Now that is thinking outside the box😊
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Leo just gotta be extra.
No, seriously, though, this is a fantastic idea. Where is that in the photo?
By the way, thanks so much to everyone for the positive feedback to my suggestion. I have tweeted at the official Dix Park Twitter account and will figure out who else I ought to follow up with. Thanks!
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I did the research, and apparently it’s in Maggie Daley Park in Chicago. (Thanks, Google.)
And, yeah, that’s cool. But you know what’s really cool? The Riverfront Park Ice Ribbon in Spokane, Washington.
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Yup. Chicago gave me that idea. Probably unrealistic in Raleigh as it’s just not cold enough, long enough but MAN does it not look cool.
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So let’s not lose sight of the need for a hardscape area to support festivals and such. Maybe a regular ice/roller rink could serve in that capacity. Not so sure about an ice ribbon. Any other ideas for things other than parking?
Umm cars with hydraulics competition… RC car race… Break dancing… Hopscotch, four square, and jump rope…
Just kidding, but I hope.and believe the parking will be designed/built in a low impact Dev fashion with pervious pavement or pavers and landscaping throughout that looks more like a park than a parking lot. Not just here, but throughout the park.
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Sorry, I got momentarily distracted by Leo’s incredibly shiny object.
Yeah, this ice ribbon thing is wildly impractical and unrealistic and not really what we need for Dix.
But, damn, that thing is cool.
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I don’t recall seeing a skatepark anywhere in the plans- someone correct me if I’m wrong- but if not, why isn’t that a part of the Dix plans? Durham’s major park has an awesome concrete skate park, why can’t Raleigh’s?
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There are plans for what looks like a pretty cool skate trail at the North Wake Landfill County Park: http://www.wakegov.com/parks/about/Documents/masterplan/Parks%202017/4_Recommendations.pdf
I don’t know what the demand is like for a skate park, but maybe the Dix planners think that the N. Wake park is sufficient.
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Yes, it is Maggie Daley … fun fact: this was designed by the same team as the Dix Park Master Plan.
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I don’t know if this is news or just new to me but apparently the Draft Master Plan for Dix is available.
So I guess I am not getting any work done this morning.
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