A Chapel Hill Review of 2022
Chapel Hill has had another eventful year, with a lot of changes creating promising new possibilities. So, before we usher in 2023, let’s close 2022 with a look back on the year that was.
Local Leaders Honored
The Town of Chapel Hill paid tribute to former Mayor Howard Lee, the driving force behind Chapel Hill Transit. To celebrate his accomplishments and contributions to the town, a ceremony was held on June 20 to name the Chapel Hill Transit facility after him and his wife, Lillian. In Lee’s three terms as mayor from 1969 to 1975, he secured several old buses from Atlanta, Georgia to become Chapel Hill’s first bus fleet. Today, Chapel Hill Transit has the second-highest ridership in the state and remains fare-free.
Chapel Hill’s longtime Police Chief Chris Blue stepped down on December 31 after 25 years on the force and 12 years as chief. During his leadership, Chief Blue was very receptive to community calls for transparency in his effort to make the Chapel Hill Police Department (CHPD) the most progressive police force in North Carolina. He also successfully led the CHPD’s response and investigation into several high-profile cases that resulted in convictions and justice for the affected families. Thank you, Chief Blue, for dedicating years of service to our town. Looking ahead, we wish all the best for Chapel Hill’s first woman police chief, Celisa Lehew.
UNC Sports
What many worried would be a lackluster start to Hubert Davis’s coaching career turned into a surprise run to the men’s basketball championship final. The UNC team got hot toward the end of their regular season, beat Duke at Coach K’s final home game, rolled through top-ranked Baylor and UCLA, then finally beat Duke AGAIN in the Final Four to retire Coach K permanently.
The basketball team fell just short in the title game, but two Tar Heel women’s teams brought home the hardware to complete an undefeated season. Women’s lacrosse beat Boston College 12-11 in the final game and ended the season with a record of 22-0. Sam Geiersbach scored a hat trick and was awarded Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Field hockey capped off a 21-0 season with a 2-1 national championship performance. Erin Matson scored the game-winning goal with less than a minute and a half to go, earning Most Outstanding Player honors and cementing her place as one of the greatest Tar Heel athletes ever.
Women’s soccer nearly completed a trifecta of titles for UNC women’s sports, but unfortunately lost their title match in overtime. Football made a respectable push for an ACC championship but couldn’t get past Clemson in the championship game and ended the season on a loss to Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.
Life in Chapel Hill
The Triangle made U.S. News & World Report’s esteemed list of Top 10 Places to Live for 2022. Achieving the number six spot, the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill area earned the ranking for our research and technology roots, collegiate culture, job growth and high quality of life. We all know its these traditions that make Chapel Hill such an exciting community to be a part of, and it’s those same principles that are steering us to the future.
Downtown is also undergoing some exciting changes. Grubb Properties announced plans for a Chapel Hill Innovation District at 136 and 150 E Rosemary Street and 137 E Franklin Street. The site is set to be the new home of a laboratory, an office building, a retail space and additional parking. Along with Longfellow Real Estate Partners, Grubb is looking for this district to be a reflection of Chapel Hill’s innovative, entrepreneurial values and attract new companies and startups to downtown.
It’s been fantastic to spend 2022 with you, and we’ve got a feeling 2023 is going to be even bigger and better. Happy New Year from your neighbors at Glen Lennox!
