Reinvigorating Legacy Parks: Updates at Charlotte’s Independence Park
A former creek hollow turned reservoir, turned public park, Independence Park’s redesign relies significantly on the selective regrading which will connect and declutter the existing landform’s sinuous central hollow. Construction at Independence Park has been underway since March 2020 and the past few months have been full of regrading, stormwater infrastructure installation, boulder selection and placement, historic stone wall repair, footing and wall construction, stone masonry application, and restroom building construction. The park’s new restroom building is tucked into one of the hollow’s slopes and doubles as a terrace overlook from above, highlighting views to uptown Charlotte’s skyline to the north and the park’s curving hollow to the south.
Among several unexpected finds during construction was the discovery of an underground stream/spring during regrading – not surprising given the site’s much longer history as a creek hollow and later as Charlotte’s reservoir.
The next few months will see the installation of a central Greenway path which links to Little Sugar Creek Greenway as well as secondary and tertiary paths which complete the park’s pedestrian loops. Read more about Independence Park here.