I am writing to you as Chair of Durham Connect to tell you about some new ideas for community activities in Durham, and to encourage you to get involved.

Twelve possible activities were presented to the sixty-five residents who attended Durham’s second Annual Meeting on June 11. Below, starting with the most popular, we list the five that garnered most support, followed by a summary of the others. We also show our planned next steps, and how you can be kept informed regarding each:

#1: Using a walking path at Brandow Park (if one is built).

Next steps: We will inform the town board’s ARPA Committee, which is considering how to spend Durham’s c. $290,000 in ARPA federal funding, about the high level of interest in the Brandow Park walking path.

If you wish to be kept informed regarding progress, ask to be put on our WALKING PATH mailing list (below).

#2: Talks about Durham history.

Next steps: Mary Lou Nahas, Durham’s town historian, will present Durham Connect’s first history talk on Thursday August 4. The topic will be “The history of Durham’s schools”. We hope to be joined by people who attended these schools, or whose parents did long ago. At the meeting, we will also discuss options for future such meetings.

If you wish to receive location and timing details of this and later history talks, ask to be put on our HISTORY TALKS mailing list (below).

#3: Hiking on area trails with a group.

Next step: The first Durham Connect hike will be on Saturday August 6. The group will hike from Route 23 to the Elm Ridge Lean-to (about 1 hour 40 minutes round trip, excluding rest time). Those who wish to will then continue to Windham High Peak (an additional 3 hours round trip, excluding rest time). The leaders will be a couple who have done these hikes many times.

If you wish to receive location and timing details of this and later hikes, ask to be put on our HIKING mailing list (below).

#4: Coffee shop gatherings for relative newcomers to meet long-term residents.

Next steps: The first such meeting will be on Saturday August 13. It will be a very informal opportunity to ask, and tell, about life in Durham.

If you wish to receive location and timing details of this and later such gatherings, ask to be put on our COFFEE SHOP mailing list (below).

#5: Using a swimming pool at a local resort.

Next steps: Over the next few weeks we will contact local resorts to find out if one of them would permit local residents to swim in their pool at certain times for a modest fee. If you have suggestions or useful contacts, please let me know. We may not be able to arrange anything for this summer but we will try; if not, we can work toward having this ready for next year.

If you wish to be kept informed regarding progress, ask to be put on our SWIMMING mailing list (below).

#6 through #12: Other

Other options that received support at the annual meeting were exercise classes (yoga etc.), a garden club, a book club, various sports activities, movie nights at Brandow Park, a bridge club, and a dog park.

If you indicated support at the annual meeting for a particular one of these, you will automatically be added to the relevant mailing list. Otherwise, if you would like to express support for one or more of the above twelve activities and to be added to the relevant mailing list, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. indicating in the Subject link which activities interest you – for instance, “YES TO HISTORY TALKS, YES TO GARDEN CLUB”. If you’re happy to help with planning an activity, please be sure to mention this. People placed on each mailing list will be kept posted as plans evolve.

The more support we receive for a particular activity – particularly from people who say they’re willing to play a planning role – the more likely it is that that activity can be got up and running!

Separately, if you would like to help with Durham Connect’s working groups on Communications, Historical Preservation, Broadband, or Economic Development, let me know which one you’re interested in. You can learn more about the working groups at our website, below.

With Covid restrictions hopefully behind us and summer ahead, let’s make this the start of more fun and more community involvement in Durham.

Finally, please share this email with friends and neighbors who may not be on our list.

Regards to all,

Bernard

Bernard Rivers (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Chair, Durham Connect

www.DurhamConnect.org and www.facebook.com/groups/durhamconnect.

On Tuesday April 5, 2022, at the Town Board Workshop Meeting, the Town Board passed the following Resolution:

pdf Resolution Preliminary Plat Approval and Final Site Approval Bosque (4.03 MB)

pdf Resolution Adopting Negative Declaration Bosque (4.51 MB)

pdf Resolution Adopting Negative Declaration Part II and Part III Bosque (4.49 MB)

The Town Annual Report is available for your viewing.  There will be an Annual Meeting at Brandow Town Park on June 5, 2021 at 10:30am.  All are welcome to attend.  Come join your Durham representatives and hear our supervisor, highway superintendent and Durham Connect Chairs discuss what has been going on in our town over the past year.  

pdf 2021 Durham Annual Report (71 KB)