Some days that distance seems a lot farther.

During last week's City Council meeting it was acknowledged that even if the city develops all its proposed recreation sites in North Raleigh, the area would still not have enough facilities to service its booming population. The city's north planning district, which is one of the largest at 16,426 acres, is home to just 599 acres of parkland.

The dearth of recreation spots in North Raleigh comes at a time when millions of dollars are being spent to revitalize the city's downtown area. Among those projects are the convention center ($221 million and counting), the re-opening of Fayetteville Street ($10 million) and the revamping of Hillsborough Street ($6.3 million).

Such projects have received wide support from City Council members, who seem to agree that it's important for Raleigh to have a vibrant core. But they are also likely to raise the eyebrows of some North Raleigh residents who have pressing needs in their own communities.

While North Raleigh may not have a signature issue like the redevelopment of Dorothea Dix, its problems are easy to spot.

"We got lots of kids that need a place to play soccer," said Councilman Tommy Craven, who represents central North Raleigh.

The area has grown considerably since the last round of park building produced Cedar Hills Rotary, Optimist, Millbrook Exchange and Durant parks.

Craven said the stakes rise every year the city fails to do something about the park shortage. At some point, the problem is likely to become so acute that it will call for the sort of task-force treatment typically lavished on the most pressing issues.

While the topic may not be as sexy as some downtown issues, such an effort is likely North Raleigh's best chance at being heard in City Hall.

"That's the way things get fixed," Craven said.