Greystone Recreation Center

We are excited to announce the opening of our new recreation center in the Greystone Shopping Center on Leadmine Rd. This indoor facility offers a spectacular playground, climbing wall, dance/yoga studio, meeting space and classrooms. This space is the first of its kind for Raleigh and the vision for this space is to offer a wide variety of year-round, all-weather recreational programs for the neighboring community.

The center will also work with shopping center neighbors Gymboree and North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theater to provide complimentary and not competing programs. For programs check out Raleigh Parks & Recreation website.

Quality leisure, recreation and cultural opportunities greatly enhance the lives of Raleigh citizens, and this new facility will contribute to the wonderful quality of life we already have in Raleigh. The strength of Raleigh lies in our neighborhoods and this recreation center is something that will benefit not just our current residents but residents for years to come.

Greystone continues to serve as a model in Raleigh of desirable development. The whole Greystone community is a great example of a walkable neighborhood with bike paths and sidewalks, close access to grocery, recreation (pool, tennis, lake), banks, churches and shopping. I’m personally excited to see a facility like this in our district as I know this will provide another asset to our residents within walking distance of their homes.

Council Committees

Among its first actions, the newly installed City Council unanimously elected James West to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. West has served in this position since 2003. He has represented District C on the City Council since 1999.

Also at the 2009-2011 Council’s initial meeting today, Mayor Charles Meeker announced committee appointments. He will serve as co-chair of the Budget and Economic Committee along with District D’s Thomas Crowder. At-large member Mary-Ann Baldwin and District A representative Nancy McFarlane round-out the committee.

Russ Stephenson, an at-large member, will serve as chair of the Public Works Committee. He will be joined by the council’s two new members, District B’s John Odom and Bonner Gaylord, representing District E.

Mrs. McFarlane is to chair the Comprehensive Planning Committee. The two other members include Mr. Stephenson and Mr. Gaylord.

Mrs. Baldwin will lead the Law and Public Safety Committee. She will be joined by Mr. West and Mr. Odom.

Mayor Meeker announced that the Budget and Economic Development Committee will continue to meet at 11 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.

2009-2011 Council

Please enjoy this short video of reflections on my first term and goals for the upcoming year!



Tonight, November 30 the new City Council will be sworn in at 7pm in the Cabarrus Street Lobby of the Convention Center. The public is invited to attend. Hope to see you there!

Convention Center is LEED certified!

The Raleigh Convention Center was planned and built in an environmentally and locally conscious way. From the breakdown of the old building, to the photography exhibit that chronicled the workers, to the construction of the impressive new building, to the local artist who made the Shimmer Wall - the process strove to respect our local landscape.

The ultimate award for green building is LEED certification, and our convention center was recently awarded LEED SILVER!
It is important that Raleigh continue to set high standards for environmental and economic sustainability. Our convention center is a great symbol for continued cultural and economic opportunities in Raleigh as well as the revitalization of downtown.

Upper Neuse Greenway Trail

Today the City Council approved construction of the Upper Neuse River Greenway Trail!

More than $3.6 million of the project’s cost is covered by federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Once complete, the trail will extend nearly eight miles from Falls of Neuse Road to the CASL Soccer Complex on Perry Creek Road.

This new section of the Greenway will consist of 10-feet-wide, asphalt trail, seven greenway bridges, 1480 linear feet of elevated boardwalk, 1410 feet of access road, paved parking, a railroad underpass shelter, landscaping, park furniture, and erosion and sedimentation controls.