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Little Sugar Creek Greenway is a
linear park A linear park is a type of park that is significantly longer than it is wide. These linear parks are strips of public land running along canals, rivers, streams, defensive walls, electrical lines, or highways and shorelines. Examples of linear p ...
and
stream restoration Stream restoration or river restoration, also sometimes referred to as river reclamation, is work conducted to improve the environmental health of a river or stream, in support of biodiversity, recreation, flood management and/or landscape developm ...
project in
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Mecklenburg County is a county located in the southwestern region of the state of North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,115,482, making it the second-most populous county in North Carolina (after Wa ...
.''Little Sugar Creek Greenway connects urban spaces with nature'', by Jennifer Ford, April 20, 2012
/ref> When completed it will consist of twenty miles of trails and paved walkways running from Cordelia Park just north of
uptown Charlotte Uptown Charlotte, also called Center City, is the central business district of Charlotte, North Carolina. The area is split into four wards by the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets, and bordered by Interstate 277 and Interstate 77. The ar ...
, then south through midtown
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, and continuing all the way to the
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
state line. The Little Sugar Creek Greenway is a key part of the Cross Charlotte Trail (XCLT) and a segment in the Carolina Thread Trail, a regionwide network of trails that pass through 15 counties.
Greenways Greenway or Greenways may refer to: * Greenway (landscape), a linear park focused on a trail or bike path * Another term for bicycle boulevards in some jurisdictions People * Greenway (surname) Places Australia * Electoral Division of Greenwa ...
are narrow strips of land, planted and managed to provide both human recreation and wildlife habitat. Greenways along streams, such as Little Sugar Creek, improve water quality and help control flooding. There are about 37 miles of developed greenways in Mecklenburg County, of which this is only one.Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation: Greenways
/ref> The two urban sections of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway were championed by Central Piedmont Community College president Tony Zeiss and together provide five unbroken miles of paved walkway from East 7th Street southward to Brandywine Road.Map of Little Sugar Creek Greenway from E 7th Street to E Morehead Street
PDF file


History


Little Sugar Creek

Unlike many large cities, Charlotte is not sited on or near a sea, lake, or significant river; its hydrogeography is based on small streams and creeks, Little Sugar Creek being perhaps the most prominent. The name of Little Sugar Creek (which has also been called Sugar Creek, a name that has also been applied to what is now called Irwin Creek) derives from the Sugaree tribe indigenous to the area. Running through some of Charlotte's oldest neighborhoods, over time parts of Little Sugar Creek became hidden by houses, factories, parking lots,
riprap Riprap (in North American English), also known as rip rap, rip-rap, shot rock, rock armour (in British English) or rubble, is human-placed rock or other material used to protect shoreline structures against scour and water, wave, or ice erosion. ...
, highways, and culverts. The stream also became very polluted by runoff from factories and sewers, and litter. As recently as 2000 Little Sugar Creek was "the most polluted stream in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, a fetid stew of runoff and industrial waste trickling beneath parking decks and buildings on the fringe of downtown." Businesses dumped waste straight into its water, the fumes so noxious they were said to peel the paint off nearby buildings. Moreover, flood-prone buildings had to be razed, and much of the stream was covered by concrete which had to be removed.Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services: Little Sugar Creek: Charlottetowne Ave to Pearl Park Way (Midtown)
/ref> The pollution problem began to be solved when straight-piping of wastes was outlawed in 1998; nevertheless Little Sugar Creek Greenway became the most expensive stream restoration in Mecklenburg county.


The Greenway

In 1968 Charlotte city council member Jerry Tuttle, inspired by San Antonio's River Walk, proposed an urban "Charlotte waterfront" on Sugar Creek. ''Take a walk on the artsy, wild side of the greenway'', by Mark Washburn, April 27, 2012
/ref> In 1974 the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Commission first studied the feasibility of a greenway system. A master plan was created in 1980 involving 20 creeks and streams. The final report was based on the graduate thesis for Joan Sigmon, a geography major at the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte) is a public research university in Charlotte, North Carolina. UNC Charlotte offers 24 doctoral, 66 master's, and 79 bachelor's degree programs through nine coll ...
.Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission: Greenways and a Return to Landscape Ideology
/ref> The idea of a comprehensive greenway system was also promoted by Mecklenburg county commissioner Tom Ray who authored the concept known as "Sugar Creek Projection 70".Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation: History of Sugar Creek
/ref> Demographics provided further impetus for preserving green space in the center city. Bucking the general trend, Charlotte experienced growth in the central core while other cities were losing population to the suburbs. As a result, "The Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department embarked on an ambitious update to its earlier 1980 and 1991 Greenways Plans to not only extend and create new greenway corridors, but also improve established corridors." Finally, in 1999 a bond plan was approved; the money was used to buy property along the stream bed, begin construction or paved walkways, restore
wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (Anoxic waters, anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in t ...
s, build
water garden Water garden or aquatic garden, is a term sometimes used for gardens, or parts of gardens, where any type of water feature is a principal or dominant element. The primary focus is on plants, but they will sometimes also house waterfowl, or orn ...
s, and generally launch a major stream restoration project. In the end, the urban section of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway cost $43 million. Although the master plan remained the guideline, little was done until 2000 when a 10-year growth plan was formulated.Charlotte Observer: ''Sweet resurrection for Charlotte’s Little Sugar Creek'', by Bruce Henderson, March 18, 2012
The
North Carolina Department of Transportation The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is responsible for building, repairing, and operating highways, bridges, and other modes of transportation, including ferries in the U.S. state of North Carolina. History The North Carolina ...
announced the completion of the Charlotte portion of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway at a celebration on April 24, 2012.


Finished sections

The completed parts of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway can be divided into two major sections going downstream from north to south. The longest continuous segments run from 7th Street to Brandywine Road and from Tyvola Road to President James K. Polk State Historic Site. In December 2019 construction began on the final segment connecting Brandywine Road and Tyvola Road.


Cordelia Park to 12th Street

A paved walkway follows Little Sugar Creek and extends for .95 miles from Parkwood Avenue on the southern border of Cordelia Park to Greenway Crescent Lane and East 12th street just south of Alexander Street Park. Gulf Coast
spiny softshell turtle The spiny softshell turtle (''Apalone spinifera'') is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the specific name, ''spinifera'' (spine-bearing), ref ...
s can be seen in this part of the creek. An overland route that follows 10th street to North McDowell street to 7th street provides connectivity to the southern part of the greenway. The overland route will be replaced by a dedicated segment.


East 7th Street to Morehead Street

The "urban section" of the greenway runs for 1.29 miles along Sugar Creek in uptown Charlotte and was completed in April 2012.Charlotte Observer: ''Little Sugar Creek Greenway section is done'', by April Bethea, April 20, 2012
/ref> It begins at 7th Street, goes southward past
Central Piedmont Community College Central Piedmont Community College (Central Piedmont) is a public community college in Charlotte, North Carolina. With an enrollment of more than 40,000 students annually, Central Piedmont is the second largest community college in the North Caro ...
, passes through Thompson Park, connects to the showpiece Midtown Park at Pearl Park Way,Charlotte Observer: ''New park to open soon in Midtown'', by Karen Sullivan, January 29, 2012
/ref> and ends at the Morehead Street underpass. It is the most highly developed section of the greenway and incorporates paved walkways, stonework walls and plazas, fountains, dining, many newly planted trees, large decorative rocks, gardens, public event areas, numerous statues and sculptures, and a clock tower. There are overpasses and underpasses to facilitate unimpeded walking and biking. Included also are the usual park amenities such as benches, bike racks, restrooms, decorative lampposts, and a snack stand.WBTV: Statue of Captain James Jack to be Unveiled, May 19, 2010
/ref>


Morehead Street to Brandywine Road

This section connects with the urban section through the Morehead Street underpass. The first part going south is a straight section directly on the banks of Sugar Creek known as the Liz Hair Nature Walk, completed in September 2005. It extends for .65 miles from Morehead Street to East Boulevard and is adjacent to the
Carolinas Medical Center Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) is an 874-bed non-profit, tertiary, research and academic medical center located in Charlotte, North Carolina, servicing the southern North Carolina, northern South Carolina, and the Metrolina region. Carolinas Me ...
complex. The next section runs from East Boulevard to Princeton Avenue, passing by the Charlotte Nature Museum and through
Freedom Park In the Philippines, a freedom park is a centrally located public space where political gatherings, rallies and demonstrations may be held without the need of prior permission from government authorities. Similar to free speech zones in the United S ...
. Next is a so-called overland connector which utilizes existing sidewalk for .42 miles along Jameston Drive. The paved part of the greenway resumes again at Hillside Avenue and continues on to Brandywine Road, ending behind the
Park Road Shopping Center Park Road Shopping Center is an open air strip mall located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is located northeast of the intersection of Woodlawn Rd. and Park Rd. in the south central part of Charlotte. Park Road Shopping Center has a nostalgic a ...
. This last section features wetland filtration ponds and explanatory signage.


Tyvola Road to Huntingtowne Farms Park

Completed in 2018, this 1.5 mile section connects
Marion Diehl Park Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mari ...
and the Madison Park neighborhood to
Park Road Park Park Road Park is a 122-acre urban park at 6220 Park Road in the Closeburn-Glenkirk neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina. Park Road Park features 8 basketball courts, 2 horseshoe pits, 6 baseball fields, 5 Picnic Shelters, volleyball courts, ...
, Huntingtowne Farms Park, and th
Backyard Trails
network—an extensive mountain biking trail network maintained by Tarheel Trailblazers. This segment also passes by the Sugar Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.


Huntingtowne Farms Park to I-485

In 2020 the .79 mile segment of the greenway located in Huntingtowne Farms Park was expanded to 2.2 miles providing connectivity to I-485 and Carolina Pavilion. This expansion included access from the Park Crossing and Starmount neighborhoods. This segment of the greenway is known as a haven for hawks and
barred owl The barred owl (''Strix varia''), also known as the northern barred owl, striped owl or, more informally, hoot owl, is a North American large species of owl. A member of the true owl family, Strigidae, they belong to the genus '' Strix'', whic ...
s.


I-485 to President James K. Polk State Historic Site

In 2021 an additional 1.8 miles of the greenway was open. This segment continued the greenway south from I-485 to the President James K. Polk State Historic Site in
Pineville, North Carolina Pineville (; locally ) is a suburban town in the southernmost portion of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States, situated in the Waxhaws district between Charlotte and Fort Mill. History Pineville became known as a mule trading ce ...
. This segment provides connectivity to Marsh Park and
Carolina Place Mall Carolina Place (also referred to as Carolina Place Mall) is a shopping mall located in Pineville, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte. The GLA mall, in the shape of a curve, is anchored by Belk, a Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy combo ...
. The final southern segment of The Little Sugar Creek Greenway will extend 3.3 miles from this segment at the President James K. Polk State Historic Site to the South Carolina State border.


Trail of History

The Trail of History is a collection of privately subsidized bronze statues situated in midtown (between 7th Street and Morehead Street) along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. The statues are intended to commemorate individuals who contributed to the history of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. In 2005 the first statue of Captain James Jack, a legendary figure in the story of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, was installed in Elizabeth Park. As of 2021, eight statues have been installed with accompanying information plaques. Additional individuals include: Thomas Spratt &
King Hagler King Hagler (also spelled Haiglar) or Nopkehee (c. 1700–1763) was a chief of the Catawba Native American tribe from 1754 to 1763. Hagler is known as the "Patron Saint of Camden, South Carolina." He was the first Native American to be indu ...
,
James Buchanan Duke James Buchanan Duke (December 23, 1856 – October 10, 1925) was an American tobacco and electric power industrialist best known for the introduction of modern cigarette manufacture and marketing, and his involvement with Duke University. ...
, Jane Wilkes, among others. Statues include works from notable artists such as: Jane DeDecker,
Ed Dwight Edward Joseph (Ed) Dwight Jr. (born September 9, 1933) is an American sculptor, author, and former test pilot. He is the first African American to have entered the Air Force training program from which NASA selected astronauts. He was controve ...
, Chas Fagan, and
Antonio Tobias Mendez Antonio Tobias Mendez (born 1963) is an American sculptor. Works Mendez has produced over twenty public monuments: his sculptures include Thurgood Marshall, Don Shula, Mohandas Gandhi, Major Taylor, and part of the United States Navy Memorial. ...
.


Reviews

Gene Conti of the North Carolina Department of Transportation praised the greenway "for providing Charlotteans with an accessible place to run, walk and bike," and called it "an example for the rest of the state."NCDOT, Charlotte Celebrate Completion of Little Sugar Creek Greenway, April 24, 2012
/ref> The
Charlotte Observer ''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American English-language newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. As of 2020, it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. I ...
called the Little Sugar Creek Greenway a "sweet resurrection". Fish have returned to the stream; and
duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ...
s,
Canada geese The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...
, and
heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychu ...
s are often seen. The mixture of natural restoration and urban redevelopment draws "gushing praise"—although some people, such as Mecklenburg County commissioner Bill James, have criticized the project for its cost. James compared the project to proposed uptown baseball stadiums, asserting that the county overpaid for land for stream restoration and helped "well-connected developers". However, one business owner said that sites along the greenway offer the "best view of Charlotte from Charlotte—a view that will remain unencumbered forever." Despite being a vast improvement over the toxic pollution of the past, trash–particularly plastic bags-remains a problem along Sugar Creek. In 2015 Richard Maschal of the Charlotte Observer reported, "The creek is festooned with such detritus, particularly near the bridges spanning Morehead Street and Kings Drive."Charlotte Observer: Trash still a problem at Little Sugar Creek Greenway, by Richard Maschal, January 5, 2015
/ref>


Awards

* 2012 Best Place to Get Back to Nature,
Creative Loafing Creative Loafing is an Atlanta-based publisher of a monthly arts and culture newspaper/magazine. The company publishes a 60,000 circulation monthly publication which is distributed to in-town locations and neighborhoods on the first Thursday of ...
: Best of Charlotte * 2011 Best Use of Tax Money, Creative Loafing: Best of Charlotte


Activities

* Since 2011, the annual ''Kings Drive Art Walk'' has been held on the greenway between Midtown Park and Morehead Street. It features artists and craftspeople and is held in late April.Charlotte Magazine: Weekend Top Picks for April 27-29: Kings Drive Art Walk and More, April 23, 2012
/ref> * Every Thursday evening starting in late April, MetLive presents ''Music on the Greenway'' on the nearby Metlive stage at 1224 Metropolitan Avenue. * The popular ''Kings Drive Farmers Market'', open from April to October, is right by the greenway at S Kings Drive and E Morehead Street.Yelp Reviews: King's Drive Farmer's Market
/ref>


References


External links


Little Sugar Creek Greenway Master Plan

The Carolina Thread Trail
official website
The Cross Charlotte Trail (XCLT)
webpage
The Greenway Restored
video
129 photos for Little Sugar Creek Greenway

Charlotte ViewPoint: ''Sugar Creek Prelude'' a film by Billy Haake
{{Charlotte, North Carolina Greenways Parks in Charlotte, North Carolina Buildings and structures in Charlotte, North Carolina Pedestrian infrastructure in the United States Linear parks