CHARLOTTE, NC — A new park is coming to East Charlotte, and local leaders like Greg Asciutto of the Charlotte Eastland Area Strategies Team (CharlotteEAST) are excited to bring another green space to the Queen City.
“This is a big surprise,” says Asciutto. “Mecklenburg County continues to prove that it is willing to invest in East Charlotte where it matters.”
CharlotteEAST is a nonprofit civic group led by East Charlotte business owners and residents that assists city government with policy and development. Asciutto sees the new park as another positive investment in the area.
“These parks and these investments give us the opportunity to grow together and build a community,” adds Asciutto.
The plaza on WT Harris Boulevard is currently in the development phase, but construction will begin soon and the first phase is expected to open to the public in early 2026.
The 27-acre strip of land once served as a pilot training facility during World War II and was later used as an aircraft restoration center. Today, it is a dense forest with a few trails. Because of its industrial past, the future park is classified as wasteland, meaning Mecklenburg County will work with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to ensure the site meets health standards. After that, it will be time to build something, which Asciutto said the community desperately needs.
“To have places where you can actually meet, where you can meet face to face, facilities not just for families, for children, for seniors, but elements where there is something for everyone, right?”
But WCCB Charlotte faced some resistance from residents of the Wallace Creek neighborhood, which lies across the street from the planned park.
“I think this is a bad decision,” says Quenton Hood, who has lived here for nearly 20 years and is concerned about overdevelopment.
“It will bring too much traffic,” complains Hood. “And then rents will become more expensive for the people who are already paying a certain amount here, and the people who are less fortunate will be pushed out.”
Momoh Roberts, who also lives in Wallace Creek, is more concerned about the environmental aspect.
“They’re taking all the trees. Now I have sunshine every day, which I didn’t like. But what can I do? People have to live, so that’s what they do.”
Asciutto told WCCB Charlotte that the biggest concern he’s heard from the community is one that echoes Roberts’s – the rapidly shrinking forest and tree canopy surrounding East Charlotte needs to be protected. While he understands residents’ concerns, he says the feedback has been mostly positive.
The city government is also excited about the new green space. Charlotte City Councilwoman Marjorie Molina, who represents the 5th District, which covers most of East Charlotte, said of the planned park:
“The new park represents a significant investment in East Charlotte, providing much-needed green space and recreational opportunities for our residents. It is a testament to our ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life in our borough. Parks are essential! They add character to a community and this will be a vibrant green space that residents can share and enjoy for years to come. I am also grateful to our borough leaders and their strategic partnership that will make this project a success.”
Officials also want to hear Charlotte residents’ opinions on what the park should look like. You can voice your opinion HERE.
