Every year, for the past 3 years, I’ve gone to the Kirby Derby, and every year I’ve come away with the same smile on my face for the whole bike ride home. Everything about this neighborhood party has everything a good neighborhood party should have: costumes, cross-dressed people running down the street, responsible amounts of drinking and yelling/booing at kids for kicking full beer cans over (“they’ll understand later on, we’re just training them early about priorities”) and giant feathered chicken carts flying into hay bale barricades/the crowd.

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Antique drinking fountains, located on Capitol Square

In the past few years, Raleigh has been fortunate and invested in public-use infrastructure projects. This includes the installation of new benches, shelters, sidewalks, and other related items. Noticeably absent from these improvements (outside of public parks), is the outdoor drinking fountain.

As Raleigh continues to improve the experience of pedestrians, cyclists, joggers, bus riders, and others, it should consider adding more outdoor drinking fountains to address mankind’s most primitive need: thirst.

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Back in February of this year a miracle, of sorts, took place at 15 Tarboro St. in East Raleigh. I am speaking of course, of the official opening of the St. Monica Teen Center. The city-sponsored facility provides a safe haven for neighborhood teenagers for after school activities, recreation and interaction with other teens and adults.

The Center has a computer lab, a homework assistance area, a fitness/dance space and a youth lounge, among other amenities. Under the jurisdiction of the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department, the center has a full-time director, and is the first such teen-oriented facility funded by the City of Raleigh. In its three short months of operation, the Teen Center is already having a positive effect on the community.

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