This weekend, the return of hot weather marked the return of office hours. My special guest was Mayor Lydia Lavelle. We took advantage of the town’s first try at Summer Streets, during which Public Works closed East Weaver Street to traffic for much of the day. As I said on Twitter, there was something downright civilized about closing the street (if just for a little while) and reclaiming the space for people.

Office hours during Summer Streets 1 with special guest Lydia Lavelle (Photo: Alicia Stemper)

With this temporary pedestrian plaza in place, Lydia and I found a shady, breezy spot in the middle of Weaver Street, and one of us (possibly me) ate blueberry pancakes. Our visitors came to share their thoughts about the impact of new development on Carrboro’s character, questions about policing, and ideas about repairs and upgrades to town facilities.

Mark your calendar for the town’s two remaining Summer Streets events: July 19 and August 23. We would love to receive your feedback. And I might just use those opportunities for more office hours.