Greenspace still facing eviction
by Laura Davenport
Carrboro Commos Writer
The Carrboro Greenspace is still in imminent danger of being sold off and developed, claim local supporters. The Greenspace is a 10.5 acre piece of land filled with lush greenery and wildlife which is located off of Old Pittsboro Road. The land, which had previously been available for public access has been put on the market and, according to the Greenspace’s official Web site, will most likely be developed once sold.
Laura Davenport photo
The ReCYCLEry, which is located on the edge of the Greenspace, is a second-hand bike depot which strives to promote more environmentally friendly transportation by making bikes readily available. According to Alex Hardee, the ReCYCLEry, which attracts people from all over the Carrboro and Chapel Hill areas, runs workshops on Sundays where participants can earn their own bikes through volunteering to repair old ones.
The ReCYCLEry is the only part of the Greenspace that is still thriving. For more information on the ReCYCLEry and their upcoming projects and workshops, visit www.recyclery.org.
Alex Hardee, who has been coming to the ReCYCLEry for about six months, enjoys working on the bikes and the atmosphere. He enjoys coming to the ReCYCLEry because it provides “local-based action.”
“It’s a way to volunteer as well as get something out of it. You come here and put in the service hours, help people fix bikes and through that process you’re able to earn one of your own, so it’s a really positive cycle going on,” he says. “A lot of cool people also come out here, so it’s a really good way to meet people.”
Aside from the ReCYCLEry, the Greenspace houses another popular attraction, the WITT Theater. Once the sun sets, the Walk-In Tributary Theater, or WITT, is a donation-run theater which screens movies in an old swimming pool. Since the land has been put on the market, the WITT screened their last movie on Aug 4.
The only house on the property, dubbed “Casa Grande” was used as a head office for the Greenspace, as well as an indoor area for functions and local artist showcases. The house, like the WITT, has been cleared out since early August.
Fans of the Greenspace, such as Michael Massey, enjoy the scenic vistas and abundant wildlife. “It’s like a little piece of country right before you get to the city,” he said. He says he’s going to miss the peacefulness of the Greenspace, and most importantly, the shade it provides.
In an attempt to rally more widespread support, a home-made documentary has been posted on the Internet sensation web site of YouTube.com. The documentary gives viewers a condensed look at all the Greenspace has to offer, and all that will be lost if the land is sold and developed.
The Help Save the Carrboro Greenspace! documentary can be viewed by using the hyperlink http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL8ie8vhGR8.
According to the documentary, the Greenspace has been on the real estate market for about a year with an asking price of about $1.5 million.
To contribute to the movement to save the Carrboro Greenspace, there is a petition available by accessing the official website, www.carrborogreenspace.org.
