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How Will Downtown Durham Develop? - Thoughts On the Future from Administrator Selig

Downtown commercial cores within communities, as opposed to the suburbs, are becoming increasing popular across the

United States

. Both young workers and retiring Baby Boomers are actively seeking to live in densely packed, mixed-use communities that do not require cars – that is, town centers in which residences, shops, schools, parks, colleges, and other amenities (such as the Amtrak Downeaster) exist close together. In the 1950’s, the suburbs were all the rage. Today, urban neighborhoods that are exciting and diverse are increasingly thriving with growth and activity. This trend will continue and it is amidst this changing environment that Durham must work to competitively position itself and its downtown to attract the kind of investment we desire over the long term. In many ways, as host to the University of New Hampshire, we have advantages over other areas in the Seacoast.

With these changing demographics in mind, a thoughtful discussion should be held around eliminating the need to have non-residential uses on any but the first floor as part of a four-story structure within our Central Business District (CBD) per Section 175-41 F(8) of the Durham Zoning Ordinance. Downtown property owners regularly report that the viability of two stories of non-residential is questionable at best and economically risky at this point in time. In order to encourage increased investment and interest within Durham’s CBD and provide viable alternatives for professionally-managed student housing out of our traditional single-family neighborhoods surrounding the downtown, to discourage sprawl, and to intensify our central core to promote mass transportation alternatives to the automobile, this zoning ordinance modification is warranted for further consideration. As part of a possible framework, the additional floor of housing could potentially be utilized as a carrot so long as a certain percentage of the property contains workforce or affordable housing. The maximum permissible height of downtown structures should also be revisited to ensure that Durham is satisfied with the new construction we have recently experienced, and if so, whether consideration should also be given to higher structures to leverage the kind of long-term uses Durham desires while also adhering to critical elements of community character and new urbanist design.

As the downtown becomes revitalized in the future and commercial/office space becomes more economically viable and in higher demand, the upper stories of new construction would be converted to more profitable non-residential use, thereby achieving the Town’s long-term goals of enhanced mixed uses within the downtown core. The key, however, is to leverage new investment and the redevelopment of many well worn downtown Central Business District structures in the not too distant future so that alternatives to purely college student residential use can be realized when market conditions warrant. (See Page C.18 of Durham Commercial Core Strategic Plan prepared by B. Dennis Town Design.)

PACE, PART 2: DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? – GAUGING INTEREST IN DURHAM -- A Reminder

Last week the Friday Updates alerted readers to the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, which allows property owners to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements using low‐interest bonds arranged by the municipality.

Durham is not there yet, but the Energy Committee is working with the Town Administrator to make it happen.

This is how it works: Residential and commercial property owners may opt in to the program to receive long-term financing (up to 20 years) for improvements. They then repay the loan through a separate property tax assessment. This arrangement spreads the cost of clean energy improvements – such as energy-efficient boilers, upgraded insulation, new windows, solar installations, etc. – over the expected life of the improvement. The program also allows for the repayment obligation to transfer automatically to the next property owner if the property is sold.

Here's an example of how this would work. Let’s say a homeowner receives PACE funding for a solar photovoltaic installation. For a typical system of 3 kW, the net cost would be on the order of $8,400 (assuming $6/watt installed, a $6,000 rebate from NH, and a 30% tax incentive from the federal government). This system would be expected to produce approximately 4,800 kW-h per year -- or about $720 of electricity per year, assuming a constant electricity cost of 15 cents per kW-h. (This example uses a 3 kW system that produces about 13 kW-h per day, which is enough to run an energy efficient house.) The loan repayment over 20 years would amount to approximately $610 per year, depending on the interest rate on the loan.

You do the planning and the math for your property under PACE. We would do the setting up of the program for the town.

Interested in participating? Please send a brief note to the Chair of the Energy Committee via this link dec@ci.durham.nh.us. Describe what kind of energy efficient improvement you are considering. (Note: This is just a feeler, to get a sense of community interest. Details on your anticipated installation cost will be required before we proceed to the next step of setting up such a fund.)

Town Council Approves 5 Year Tax Exemption on Improvements for Sigma Beta Property at 26 Madbury Road Under RSA 79-E

On July 26, 2010, the Town Council granted tax relief pertaining only to assessment increases attributable to the substantial rehabilitization performed and approved for a period of five (5) years at 26 Madbury Road pursuant to RSA 79-E. It is estimated that the 2009 pre-substantial rehabilitization value of the parcel was $1,204,900 and the post-substantial rehabilitization value of the parcel will be approximately $1,649,600, a difference of $444,700 of assessed valuation. ($444,700 x 2009 tax rate of $27.00 = $12,006 per year in tax exemption)

2. The specific public benefit is preserved through a covenant under RSA 79-E:8.

3. The governing body finds that the proposed use is consistent with the municipality's master plan or development regulations.

In order to qualify for tax relief under RSA 79-E, a proposed substantial rehabilitation must provide at least one of the public benefits, and the proposed replacement must provide one or more of the public benefits to a greater degree than would a substantial rehabilitation of the same qualifying structure, as follows:

II. It enhances and improves a structure that is culturally or historically important on a local, regional, state, or national level, either independently or within the context of an historic district, town center, or village center in which the building is located;

III. It promotes development of municipal centers, providing for efficiency, safety, and a greater sense of community, consistent with RSA 9-B; or

The Town encourages property owners within Durham’s central core to learn more about the Community Investment Tax Relief Program under RSA 79-E. Please contact Director and Planning and Community Development Jim Campbell at jcampbell@ci.durham.nh.us or at (603) 868-8064.

Zoning Change Approved by Town Council to Support Central Business District (CBD) Redevelopment

On Monday evening, July 26^th, the Town Council adopted a zoning change to Section 175-41 F(8) of the Zoning Ordinance intended to support downtown redevelopment within the CBD and flexibility for property owners envisioning new construction to allow the first floor and one additional floor (other than only the second floor) to be non-residential as part of a four story apartment building. This change was originally suggested by the Economic Development Committee after downtown property owners reported challenges associated with limiting the non-residential requirement exclusively to the first and second floors.

With the change approved by the Council on Monday evening, Section 175-41 F(8) now reads:

Maximum Height of Mixed-Use Buildings – The height of a new mixed use building that provides both residential and nonresidential space shall be a maximum of three stories notwithstanding other height limitations. The first floor shall be nonresidential. However, if the building contains nonresidential uses on the first floor and one additional story of nonresidential ~~two floors~~, the maximum permitted height ~~will~~ shall be four (4) stories except on the south side of Main Street. If the proposal is for a four (4) story building, the first floor shall be nonresidential and the remaining three floors shall consist of two residential and one nonresidential.

New and Improved Building Permit Applications on Line – Kaizen!

The most recent process improvement associated with the Town’s Kaizen total quality improvement initiative is the result of work by our Building Permit Review Team, comprised of Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer Tom Johnson and Administrative Assistant Karen Edwards. Durham resident Jerry Gottsacker and Administrator Selig also participated throughout the process.

This team has recently completed its work to simplify, standardize, and consolidate the Town’s various building permits for easier completion and processing. For example, the building permit application has been reduced from 12 to 4 pages and now includes an example of a plot plan and space to draw one which had been an area of confusion for applications. A “FAQ” sheet was also developed to answer frequently asked questions for applicants to make the process more understandable/user-friendly.

The Building Department’s web page (http://ci.durham.nh.us/DEPARTMENTS/building/building.htm) has been updated with a section dedicated to providing more information about the building permit process in the Town of Durham. For additional assistance in with building permits and applications contact Karen Edwards in the Planning/Zoning/Assessing office at (603) 868-8064.

As a follow up from last week’s Friday update regarding the new roundabout on Main St., the Public Works Department would like to invite residents to visit the following link to learn more about roundabouts and how vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists can maneuver them safely: http://www.nh.gov/dot/org/projectdevelopment/highwaydesign/roundabouts/index.htm

The New England Center still has items for sale, many of which are things which would be available at a yard or garage sale. Starting Monday August 2 through Saturday August 7 the New England Center will be open from 8am to 4pm each day. First come, first served. All items must be taken at time of sale.

Amtrak Downeaster service in Durham began 2001 and serves the communities of Old Orchard Beach, Saco/Biddeford, and Wells in Maine; Dover, Durham, and Exeter in New Hampshire; and Haverhill and Woburn in Massachusetts. With five roundtrips a day originating in Portland, Maine and terminating at North Station in Boston, Mass, the service regularly rates well for on-time service and customer satisfaction.

Find the schedule that works for you at http://www.amtrakdowneaster.com/ and park for free during the summer months at the Depot Road Parking Lot.

Over the last two weeks, a number of refinements have been made to the pilot/test traffic configuration along Pettee Brook Lane. These have included:

Conclusions - With careful attention to the issues and observations of corrective adjustments, the project appears to offer significant traffic calming while adding much needed parking spaces. The Traffic Safety Committee will continue to meet and evaluation the pilot program through the Month of August and early- September.

Downtown Bus Service to Be Extended Along Madbury and Edgewood Roads – Service Available and Free for Durham Residents

The Town has long held a desire to take steps to lessen use of vehicles while keeping an eye on sustainability. These goals are supported by the Durham Energy Committee and B. Dennis Town Design, the consultant team that had been retained by the Town to focus on revitalizing downtown. An energy-efficient, quiet, small bus connecting neighborhoods and the University can be one of those steps. With these thoughts in mind, the Town initiated discussions with UNH to explore the possibility of expanding bus routes that would address these concerns and lessen traffic pressures on many of Durham’s neighborhood streets, as well as offer alternative means of transportation for Durham residents.

To this end, the Town Administrator has requested that UNH reroute the existing UNH Woodside’s Campus Connector to include Madbury and Edgewood Roads with the small CNG buses.

Durham Public Works has one bus shelter and it is planned that UNH and DPW coordinate the placement on some portion of the new route along Madbury Road.

Planning Board Happenings – Major Redevelopment of Former Don Thompson Real Estate Building Approved on Pettee Brook Lane

The Planning Board met on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, and took the following actions: Continued a public hearing and conditionally approved a Boundary Line Adjustment application, Site Plan application, and a Conditional Use application for Ionian Properties, LLC to redevelop the property located at 10 Pettee Brook Road into a four-story mixed use building with commercial use and two ADA accessible apartments on the first two stories and apartments on the top two stories; continued a public hearing until the August 11, 2010, meeting for Peter Andersen for the subdivision of a parcel of land located at 260 Durham Point Road; approved a Conditional Use permit application for Michael and Tammy Keegan on behalf of Chester Tecce to expand the Tecce Farm Stand to include a mobile kitchen for the sale of freshly baked goods, subs, and prepared meals; set a public hearing date of August 11, 2010, for public hearings on two proposed Zoning ordinance amendments. The first proposed amendment would add the ORLI and MUDOR Districts to the applicability section of the Conservation Subdivision Ordinance and the second proposed amendment is to the Table of Uses and would remove Convenience Store with Gasoline Sales from the ORLUI District; and discussed the Commercial Core Strategic Plan.

The Economic Development Committee (EDC) met on Monday, July 26, 2010 at the Old Courthouse Building that now houses the Parks & Recreation Department and the ORYA. The EDC discussed the Durham Commercial Core Strategic Plan and the draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Grange Hall property. The EDC also were given an update on the proposal for the Town-Wide Market Analysis, the Business Visitation Program, and the Pettee Brook Road reconfiguration.

Downtown Parking Strategy to be Revisited – Free v. Metered parking Downtown

The downtown Durham parking program along Main Street, Madbury Road, the Store 24 Lot, the Pettee Brook Lot, and along Pettee Brook Lane consisting of parking meters, one-hour spaces (two hours with a Durham resident sticker), and business permits will be revisited over the next several weeks to evaluate whether an alternative strategy would be more effective. The B. Dennis Strategic Plan for our downtown core suggested a tiered pay for parking approach with premium parking along Main Street in the most desirable locations costing more and parking spaces farther from the Main Street businesses costing less. As this process progresses, we will keep the community informed.

A Structured Parking Idea for Downtown Durham – Combined Fire Department/Structured Parking/Affordable Housing Feasibility Study Underway

The Town has once again engaged the services of LeMay Erickson Wilcox Architects, the company which has evaluated various locations to date (B-Lot/Mill Road, “the Greens” on Madbury Road, and Stone Quarry Drive) for a future Fire Department location, to investigate on behalf of Durham and UNH whether C-Lot located across from the Mill Plaza on Mill Road would be a viable location for a combination Fire Department/Structured Parking/Affordable or Graduate-Faculty Housing structure.

The Grange (H.A. Davis Building) is located within the heart of downtown Durham on the southerly side of Main Street at the Madbury Road intersection directly across from the U.S. Post Office.

The main level of the Grange includes a large open area, rear stage, kitchen with sink and older style cabinetry, and ½ bath. A steep front stairway and rear spiral staircase provide access to the second floor. A stairway accesses the basement. The second level includes an open landing area, two small offices, a large open area, ½ bath, and rear storage.

To gauge continued interest expressed by potential purchasers/lessors, the Town Administrator intends to reissue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the structure in the near future. An RFP was issued in June 2009 but the single individual who submitted a response has not been able to move forward with the envisioned project to date. This week the Economic Development Committee reviewed the RFP draft and will provide feedback relative to the document before it is issued.

Durham Rental Housing Commission Discussing Impact of Student Housing within Durham’s Residential Neighborhoods

Nomination of the Oyster River into the New Hampshire Rivers Management and Protection Program

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services will hold a public hearing in Madbury, N.H., on Tuesday, August 17, 2010, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Madbury Town Hall to accept public comments on the nomination of the Oyster River into the New Hampshire Rivers Management and Protection Program. The Oyster River Watershed Association and the Strafford Regional Planning Commission submitted a nomination application to DES on June 1, 2010. The application is available for review on the DES Rivers Management and Protection Program website at http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/rivers/nominations.htm.

The DES rivers coordinator has determined the application meets state requirements, making the river eligible for consideration during the next legislative session into the Rivers Management and Protection Program. Following the public hearing, the DES rivers coordinator and the Rivers Management Advisory Committee will make their respective recommendations to the DES commissioner by October. The commissioner will review the nomination and make a determination whether to forward the nomination to the General Court for legislative approval by November 2010.

Peter Ejarque, the newest member of the Durham Energy Committee, will be holding a free solar water heater class at his home tomorrow, July 31, at 10am. He will demonstrate how to build a heater from reused materials such as those found at the Durham Swap Shop and Transfer Station. This will be the first in a series of "how to" classes he plans to hold. For more information, visit www.meetup.com/oilawareness-286 or call 603-509-2907.

The Wire profiled Peter in Monday's edition, describing how he built his energy-efficient house near Madbury Road this past year -- virtually all by himself. Next year he will be adding a geodesic dome to expand living quarters. Peter is more than happy to show visitors around the house. You can read all about it at <http://www.wirenh.com/News/News_-_general/Living_renewably_201007264297.htm> (We are aware that there are a few typos and errors in this article. For example, the home is NOT 45,000 square feet, and it will be the Town Council that must approve a PACE program for Durham.)

The Strategic Oversight Planning Committee will be continuing its work throughout the summer and into the fall. Thanks to the work of many volunteers including staff representing each school and community members from all three towns, the committee has compiled an impressive amount of research regarding our district and educational trends.

The three working groups (including Operations, Student Achievement and Community) have completed their work and have presented their findings to the Oversight Committee. Three rounds of surveys have also been conducted including a staff survey, a student survey and most recently, a community survey. These findings will be used in the analysis phase of the strategic planning process this fall.

The committee has decided to enlist the help of an experienced K-12 strategic planning facilitator in analyzing this data. The result of this analysis phase will be a list of potential strategic areas of focus.

Following the development of strategic areas of focus, the committee will hold a series of engagement evenings for staff, students and community this fall to review these findings and provide feedback. Based on this feedback, a final strategic plan will be developed and presented to the School Board for approval by January 2011. As always, if you are interested in providing feedback to the Oversight Committee, please contact us at stratplan@orcsd.org

Thank you to all the volunteers who have generously contributed their time and energy to this exciting process. Jocelyn O’Quinn, co-chair, Strategic Planning Oversight Committee and Paula Roy, co-chair, Strategic Planning Oversight Committee

Section 5.2. of the Durham Town Charter states: “At such time as may be requested by the Administrator . . . each officer or director of a department shall submit an itemized estimate of the expenditures for the next fiscal year for the departments or activities under his control to the Administrator. The Administrator shall, based on these estimates and other data, prepare a recommended budget which he shall, together with these department estimates, submit to the Council no later than the last workday prior to November 1 of the current year. The Council shall review the budget for the following fiscal year and make such modifications and amendments as it desires.”

In preparation for the upcoming FY 2011 budget process, the Town’s department heads have been sent correspondence requesting that they provide the Administrator with three different budget scenarios: A three percent (3%) decrease, a level funded (0%) and a three percent (3%) increase in hopes that these scenarios will assist the administration in making more informed decisions throughout the process as part of preparing a budget proposal for the Council by November 1^st.

Budget requests from department heads are due to the Business Office no later than Friday, August 20^th and appointments to review the budgets will begin in early September.

The 2011/2020 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) requests are due to the Business Office no later than Friday, August 6^th. The Administrator and Business Manager will be presenting the proposed CIP to the Planning Board in September.

Business Manager Gail Jablonski and Mr. Selig met with the Town Council on Monday evening, July 26^th, to discuss budget goals for the upcoming year. Councilors expressed a strong desire to ensure the Town budget process was reflective both of the economic realities of the day and the high taxes that Durham property owners already pay, and also stressed the need to ensure proposals were sustainable over the long-term.

Per Section 5.4 of the Town Charter: “The budget shall be adopted not later than the last workday of the preceding fiscal year. Failure by the Council to adopt a budget by the deadline established in this section will establish the budget as recommended by the Administrator as the adopted budget.”

Over the past two weeks, we have had three gray fox sightings in the Canney Road area, one gray fox sighting in the Faculty Road area, and one red fox sighting in the Cowell Drive area. Foxes are solitary hunters and are largely omnivorous. They readily catch rabbits, voles, shrews, and birds. Foxes supplements their diet with fruits, nuts, and worms and other foods readily available.

Three of our newest police officers will be graduating from the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council today at 7PM in Concord. The academy provides intensive on-site training intended to give officers the core knowledge necessary, and required, to work as a police officer in New Hampshire. The police academy is 14 weeks long and requires the recruits to live on-site, except for weekends.

While the environment is paramilitary in nature requiring significant discipline, the academic portion of their experience is very collegiate in nature with lectures, papers and examinations they must successfully pass. The recruit’s day begins at 5:30 am, with an exercise program to strengthen the body and improve endurance. After breakfast and lunch, the cadets receive classroom training in laws, ethics, report writing, human relations, first aid, and a variety of other topics.

Upon their return to Durham, the graduates will be assigned to our in-house field training program. So that we ensure that all Durham officers are highly trained and positively motivated each will be assigned to work with certified Field Training Officers, of which we have three! The Field Training Program has been developed to provide equal and standardized training to all newly hired police officers with the curriculum focusing upon tasks that have been identified as the most frequent accomplished by Durham Police. This includes a comprehensive exposure and review of all agency policies, procedures, rules and regulations as well as the nuances of determining the shortest route to various locations in Durham.

Our Field Training Officer’s (FTO’s) have a special responsibility to help develop new officers into the best law enforcement officers possible so they may better serve the Town of Durham.

While three officers return, a vacancy existed with the resignation of Officer Joe Gagnon who accepted employment in Maine. To fill that void, Thomas Kilroy of Hampton, NH has accepted employment as our newest police officer commencing August 16^th. Mr. Kilroy graduated from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Marist College with a degree in Criminal Justice.

After completing Durham’s arduous selection process that included written exams, exercises, medical, psychological and a polygraph examination, he was chosen from an applicant pool of over one-hundred persons. Special thanks go out to Kitty Marple and Bill Cote who represented the community as oral board participants offering invaluable insight to the process ensuring that the person selected would be a good match for the Durham community.

Mr. Kilroy will begin his recruit training at the New Hampshire Police Academy August 30^th with graduation occurring in early December.

The Town of Durham is currently in the process of negotiating a renewal of its cable franchise agreement with Comcast, the incumbent cable operator. The renewal process is an opportunity for the Town to ascertain the future cable-related needs and interests of the community and to negotiate with Comcast to meet these needs in the renewal franchise agreement. As part of the process, the Town will be holding a public hearing a public hearing to ascertain the future cable-related needs and interests of the community on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 beginning at 7:00 P.M. The hearing will be held in the Town Council Chambers at the Durham Town Hall located at 15 Newmarket Road.

The regular Town Council meeting scheduled for Monday, August 2, 2010 has been cancelled as a number of Council members will not be available that evening, resulting in a lack of a quorum. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Town Council will be on Monday, August 16, 2010.

The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town Office. All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at the Town Hall unless otherwise indicated below. To view the agenda for the meetings listed below, please click HERE. All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing.

The date for Durham Day 2010 has been set for Sunday, September 26^th from 12:30 – 4:00 PM at Wagon Hill Farm. All Durham based Committees, Commissions or non-profit groups are encouraged to setup their own individual table display at the event. If you are interested in securing a table display area or are a resident interested in volunteering at Durham Day please contact P&R Director Michael Mengers at mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, 817-4074.

Reggae Night at Wagon Hill Farm – Friday, August 20^th – 6:00pm to 7:30pm

Join Roots, Rhythm & Dub and the Parks & Recreation Department for Reggae Night at Wagon Hill Farm on Friday, August 20^th from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Roots, Rhythm & Dub is reggae band from Southern Maine. Their music touches on Jazz, Blues, Latin Rock, R&B and folk all the while staying true to their Reggae roots. Bring a picnic, blanket and lawn chair and be prepared to enjoy beautiful views of the Little Bay, great music and the company of family and friends. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.

Sound Beginnings is a unique and affordable music and movement enrichment program for parents and their children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. Instructor Maria Isaak will focus on nurturing the joys of early childhood musical development. Using traditional children's folk songs, nursery rhymes and games, parents and their children build a repertoire of joyful musical experiences. The 8 week program is $75. Class will meet on Wednesdays from September 15^th through November 3^rd. There are two time sessions to choose from, 5:00pm to 5:45pm or 6:00pm to 6:45pm. All classes are held at the Durham Parks & Recreation Department. To register contact P&R Director Michael Mengers at mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, 817-4074 or visit the Clerk’s Desk. For more information, please click HERE.

The Longmarsh Trail is one of Durham’s many amazing natural areas. Offering views of the Colby Marsh, access to the Sweet Trail and a fabulous boardwalk directly next to a beaver dam, the Longmarsh Trail is a can’t miss spot for locals and visitors alike.

The trail, which is just under a mile in length, connects Longmarsh Road (via 108) with Longmarsh Road (via Durham Point Road). The dirt trail is well maintained and has only a few very minor elevation changes. Follow yellow arrow markers to make sure you stay on course. On the south side of the trail there are many smaller, unmaintained trails that lead out to fabulous views of the Colby Marsh. Also on the south side of the trail you will find a connection with the Sweet Trail (white trail markers). The Sweet Trail runs south to Dame Road, Newmarket, and finally the Great Bay. Perhaps the most spectacular site on Longmarsh is the wooden boardwalk on the easterly end of the trail that was completed by Public Works and the Durham Trail Committee. The boardwalk leads you right by an amazing beaver dam.

Getting there: You can access Longmarsh Trail via Route 108. Take Longmarsh Road to its dead end where you will see a small dirt parking area on your left-hand side. You can also access the Trail via Durham Point Road. On Longmarsh Road you will see a small dirt turnout on your right-hand side that can be used for parking. On both ends of the trail you will see large red gates signifying the start of the Trail. To access the trail map, go to: http://ci.durham.nh.us/COMMUNITY/recreation/longmarsh.pdf.

(Every week in the Friday Updates the Parks & Recreation Department will be highlighting a Durham natural area to make residents aware of all of the great natural areas right here in Town. If you have a spot that you think should be highlighted email mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us with your location.)

· Friday, August 20^th – Reggae Night at Wagon Hill – Roots, Rhythm & Dub – 6:00pm

· Sunday, September 26^th – Durham Day – 12:30pm to 4:00pm – Wagon Hill Farm

Durham residents are cordially invited to an Ice Cream Social at the UNH Outdoor Pool on Wednesday, August 4^th at 2pm. Come and enjoy ice cream and toppings, $2/bowl. In addition, residents are invited to an End of summer Night Under the Lights on Wednesday, August 11^th from 7-9pm. Swim under the lights at the UNH Outdoor Pool and enjoy some BBQ. Seasonal pall or day pass required. Hamburgers, chips, and soda will be available for purchase.

Pool hours change to Noon-6pm on Monday, August 16^th until September 1^st. The pool will have modified hours after September 2^nd.

Congratulations to the Durham Public Library’s summer readers! The Library’s 200 registered summer readers (aged 12 and under) read approximately 101,498 minutes during the 5 week program. Great job! Readers filled both sides of the Library’s skim board with stickers! We hope they will continue reading and visiting the library! Participants can pick up your prize certificates and prize books in the children’s room for the next week or two.

Weds. Aug. 4^th 10:15 am -12:00 pm - Embroidery Stitch-In. Join the Library for a morning of embroidering at the library. All are welcome. Bring your latest project to this monthly meeting. For more information, contact Sally Hochgraf, 868-2796.

Storytime, the patch program, rat readers (our 2^nd-4^th grade book group), tales for tails, seacoast reads, pajama storytime and the middle school book group bookeaters will start again Sept. 7th and after. Check the Library’s calendar and website for details coming soon.

Young adults interested in writing a review of a book, play, movie, event? Email the children’s librarian at ekleinmann@ci.durham.nh.us or stop by the circulation desk and we’ll put you in contact with the Library’s partner, YA author Megan Frazer, who is helping the Library with this blog. Visit the Durham Public Library’s website at www.durhampubliclibrary.org for more information.

§ Aug. 2-6 and Aug. 9-13, Museum of Art, UNH Paul Creative Arts Center: Summer Art Camp. For complete description of classes or to register on-line, visit www.unh.edu/moa or contact Catherine A. Mazur at Catherine.mazur@unh.edu, 862-3713.

§ MUB Summer Series 2010 begins July 7^th. Everything is FREE and OPEN to all! For more information and to view schedule of events, go to www.unhmub.com or call Dave at 862-1586.

“Main Street, about 1914, must have appeared a barren scene to a newcomer even though the Village Improvement Society had, that year, set out over forty trees and arranged for rubbish collection. It had also considered the need for a sidewalk because “the town was becoming famous for its mud.” Even with only ten resident-owned automobiles, dirt and cinder roads were a messy ordeal for the “machine” as well as for the pedestrian.”