As one of the fastest growing cities in the region, the Concord City Council is committed to enhancing the quality and availability of parks and recreation programming throughout the city. In an effort to improve existing facilities, the city is seeking the public’s input on the development of a master plan for Hartsell Park and Athletic Complex. The master plan will guide decisions on the facilities and amenities to preserve and renovate, as well as new features needed to improve the public’s overall enjoyment and experience while visiting the park.
Hartsell Park is located near Downtown Concord and sits on a total of 21.45 acres. The park currently includes the Hartsell Recreation Center, as well as baseball fields, pickleball courts, a basketball court, reservable picnic shelter, playground, and open space. While the recreation center and playground were recently updated, the park has aging facilities and lacks pedestrian accessibility and connectivity.
The new master plan will seek to address safety by making the park more accessible, visible, and more inclusive. It will also look at ways to improve connectivity across the property through the addition of new trails and sidewalks, as well as focus on park function and operations, including programming and athletic capabilities. The city also hopes to explore more opportunities for the public to enjoy the park year-round.
The public is encouraged to take a short online survey to provide input on the future for Hartsell Park. The survey is available at publicinput.com/HartsellPark and will close on July 31, 2021.
Background
Recognizing the need for greater access to public facilities to better serve the city’s growing population, in 2017 the city adopted a Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Following the recommendations of the Comprehensive Master Plan, the city continues to develop individual master plans for each existing park. To date, the city has adopted four park master plans: Caldwell Park, Wilson Street Park, Dorton Park, and Burrage Road Park. In addition to Hartsell Park, the city is currently working on master plans for Academy-Gibson Park as well as a brand new park in Northwest Concord.
City Council also continues to set aside one cent of the tax rate, or roughly $1.41 million, for the planning of new city parks and enhancements to existing facilities and programs.
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