A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors!
We are grateful for all of our Sponsors who support Partners for Parks as we make a very specific impact on equity and inclusion, and were delighted to see them in person again during our 2022 Spring Sponsor Celebration!
Nearly 100 Annual Sponsors and friends joined the party at Stevens Creek Nature Center and Preserve, which was blessed with beautiful weather so guests could enjoy both the interactive exhibits inside the Nature Center and the gardens and trails outside at the newest gem in Mecklenburg County’s Park and Recreation system.
"I can't adequately describe our excitement and appreciation – and especially enjoyment – of having the Sponsors Celebration event at Stevens Creek,” says Brad Chambers, Vice President of the Partners for Parks Board of Directors. “The opportunity to thank our sponsors – IN PERSON – was priceless. And simply getting to see our fellow Board Members and professional colleagues was the cherry on top for all of us."
Chambers says the Sponsor Celebration was one of the largest and most successful in recent memory, and he thanked the Planning Committee and hosts at Stevens Creek Nature Center for their hard work and attention to detail. “My personal thanks go to fellow Board Members Sydney Swafford, Michelle Huttenhoff, and Al Brown, as well as Kristen Haas at Stevens Creek Nature Center," he adds.
Board President Beth Poovey began her address to Annual Sponsors with a moment of silence to remember the life and hard work of Partners for Parks founding member, Doug Youngblood. Afterward, she thanked guests for their support during the past couple of years when so much was closed, but parks were wide open. Her message reflected Partners for Parks’ continuing mission to reach out to underserved communities with the message that Parks Build Community.
“The work we do is so important. Creating places for the community to come together, relax, recharge, use our voices for public discourse – and get out of our sometimes confining walls of home and work to explore and learn – makes our daily life even more joyful,” she said. Poovey recounted steps Partners for Parks is taking to engage historically underserved communities like West Charlotte while pressing for support for an expanded greenway system.
“These spaces and the things that we do in them are the glue, the face, the living rooms, and the grand hallways, arteries of our communities,” she continued. “We need to make sure that public open space is understood as crucial pieces of our urban infrastructure and make sure it gets the funding, the staffing, and the support to ensure our region is a place of choice to live, work and play.”
Treasurer Al Brown notes that Partners for Parks was honored that the Mayor of Mint Hill, Brad Simmons and his wife, and three of our Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners (Laura Leier, Elaine Powell, and Susan Rodriguez-McDowell) joined us in this Spring Celebration. He tips his hat to Lee Jones, Alice Chambers, and Kristen Haas of MCP&R for their support in hosting the event.
“We were proud to honor and celebrate this evening with so many of our Annual Sponsors,” he adds. You can see a complete list of supporters on the sponsor page of our website: https://partnersforparks.org/sponsor/
"On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I want to again thank everyone for coming out and enjoying a fun evening of fellowship and reconnections," adds Chambers.
Partners for Parks and Sustain Charlotte Join Forces for More Greenways
Working together makes advocacy stronger, and Partners for Parks is teaming up with Sustain Charlotte to push for more greenways in Mecklenburg County. Since the first Mecklenburg County Master Plan advocated for 73 miles of greenways along 14 creeks in 1980, greenways have been considered a valuable recreation source while preserving wetlands and floodplains.
In 1999, the County updated its Master Plan to include 185 miles of greenways and trails, but by 2008 only 30 miles had been built. Currently, Mecklenburg County has reached its 2018 goal of 62 miles of greenways, with another 12 miles set to open within the next year. The greenway movement is building momentum as a way to exercise, connect to parks and shopping, and commute to work or leave cars behind.
But work is still far behind that original 1980 Master Plan, and Sustain Charlotte sees a partnership with Partners for Parks and the Cross Charlotte Trail as a way to advocate for the funds that will step up construction on a very popular asset.
“We recognized, earlier this year, the need for increased advocacy to build out our greenway network and Greenway Master Plan,” says Shannon Binns, Founder and Executive Director of Sustain Charlotte. Sustain Charlotte advocates for smart growth strategies to create sustainable development in our fast-growing region. “We recognized Partners for Parks is here, and has been around a long time advocating for parks.”
Approaching the Board of County Commissioners as a team allows each group to speak louder than they would alone.
In January, Partners for Parks Board Member Emily Condon addressed commissioners, asking for their continued support of greenway expansion as a way to create more equitable access to parks and recreation for Mecklenburg County residents. That same night, Binns also asked commissioners to adequately fund the 2018 greenway plan that called for 30 additional miles of greenways by 2023.
In February, Paul Freestone, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Committee, recommended the commissioners fund $35 million a year for greenway expansion and land acquisition, at least initially. The investment would allow the county to “bank” land for future greenways at today’s prices. The request is supported by Partners for Parks.
“Partners for Parks is appreciative and supportive of the research, advocacy and recommendations of the PRC,” says Beth Poovey, President of the Partners for Parks Board of Directors.
While the expansion is gaining momentum, there is still a lot of work to be done, says Binns.
“In the short term, the County set a goal in 2018 to build 30 additional miles by 2023,” says Binns. “We’re not there yet – only 7 of those miles have been built.”
As part of the teamwork for advocacy, Sustain Charlotte and Partners for Parks has committed to hosting 6 greenway events together. The first, a virtual presentation, laid out current greenway plans. Another event, scheduled for March 19, will be a walking and biking tour of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway/ Cross Charlotte Trail around the James K. Polk Birthplace in Pineville. The next segment of the XClt, from the Polk Birthplace to the South Carolina state line, is currently under construction.
An expanded greenway network is better for the health and wellness of both residents and the environment, says Binns.
“When they are extensive enough to make a true network, people can go places they want to go without getting in the car,” says Binns. He looks forward to the partnership between Sustain Charlotte and Partners for Parks gaining momentum, too.
“We can have more impact while we’re working together,” he added.
Partners for Parks is hosting a Spring Sponsor Celebration
Do you enjoy delicious food, craft beer, and a nice glass of wine? Can't wait to reconnect with friends and fellow lovers of parks and greenways? Want to tour one of the newest and highest tech facilities in Mecklenburg County's Park and Recreation System? Become an Annual Sponsor and join us for our Spring Sponsor Celebration on March 24 - more details are below.
Your Partnership is Making A Difference
Partners for Parks set out in 2021 to make a very specific impact for equity and inclusion, and several events during the year brought us closer to our Vision that Parks Build Community. We are striving to activate local parks by bringing neighbors together in green spaces while working together to enrich their local parks and playgrounds. Your donations and sponsorships have made all the difference in making our Mission come alive, and we need your support more than ever as we continue our momentum!
We know our communities have a new appreciation for the beauty and serenity they discovered in our local parks during the pandemic, and the need for equitable access to quality open space has never been so apparent. We are stepping up and we need your help.
Parks and greenways are essential to our health and quality of life, and 2021 focused on sharing the wealth provided by open space in the Charlotte region. Partners for Parks:
- Participated in the first Summerstock event in Camp Greene Park
- Partnered with the Knight Foundation, Smart Growth America, City of Charlotte Urban Design Center, and MCP&R to build new partnerships focused on the West Side of Charlotte
- Participated in and supported a backpack giveaway for students in West Charlotte
- Worked with Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Association on restoration of their Community Garden
While we continue to reach out to bring more equity in our local parks, we are also partnering with Sustain Charlotte and The Carolina Thread Trail to advocate for more Greenways that will better connect our communities.
Let’s Celebrate Our Mission
Join our Annual Sponsors for a Spring Celebration as we celebrate our Mission to bring great parks and play to neighborhoods all across our community. We will share an "Insiders Tour" of the new Stevens Creek Nature Center and Preserve in Mint Hill at our Sponsor Celebration on Thursday, March 24, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. This beautiful new center, which opened conditionally during the pandemic, showcases the natural beauty of our local waterways in an aesthetic and educational way. You will feel like part of natural water ecosystems at this unique and FUN event just for our Sponsors!
Remembering Our Friend, and a Friend to Parks and Play, Doug Youngblood
It was with heavy hearts we learned of Doug Youngblood’s passing just before Christmas, following his 5-year battle with cancer. He was a champion of parks and those who used them, especially children; he was a tireless community servant; he was the leader who envisioned the parks foundation we call Partners for Parks, serving ultimately as its Board Chairman; and mostly, he was our friend.
Brion Douglas “Doug” Youngblood was born in Valdosta, Georgia, but called the Charlotte area home since he was 7 years old. Those days of playing outdoors as a child must have made an impression on Doug, who would go on to lead a number of park and recreation efforts in our area. He built his home of 40 years off Youngblood Road – named for his grandfather whose farm was at the end of the road before the river was dammed to make Lake Wylie. What a childhood that must have been!
Doug started his education at Steele Creek Elementary School, then went on to Quail Hollow Junior High, Olympic High School, Valdosta State College, and UNC Chapel Hill, where he graduated with a degree in accounting. If you know Doug, you know he was a passionate Tar Heel fan! His love of the Tar Heels and all sports led him to become the man we’ve known the last two decades as a passionate advocate for our parks and for children’s rights.
In addition to the work we know at Partners for Parks, Doug served at Boys Town for 3 years and fostered several boys. He encouraged his church, Central Steele Creek Presbyterian Church, to partner with the YMCA for children’s after-school activities, and had hoped to see a playground built for them on the church campus. In just the last year, he found a home at the church gym for the Rollin’ Hornets wheelchair basketball teams, which had been left without a place to practice during COVID. Even in his final months with us, he never stopped working on behalf of kids.
“He viewed every one of the kids and adults in our program as his child,” says Mike Godsey, Founding Director and Coach of the Rollin’ Hornets. Godsey recalls how Doug would come to 80% of the Rollin’ Hornets’ practices because he enjoyed seeing how sports helped kids develop. Doug knew kids who used wheelchairs would become increasingly isolated if they didn’t have an active outlet with others their age.
Doug was always focused on children and the importance of PLAY. In 1991, Doug was elected by his peers to be the first Chairman of the newly-merged (city and county) Park & Recreation Commission, which was tasked with serving all citizens countywide.
Five years later, the Commission took a bold, new step to suggest the creation of a foundation to support public/private partnerships that could compete with other large, established municipal park systems. Thus, with the organizational leadership shown by Doug and two other former MCPRC Chairmen, Brad Davis and Joe Cogdell, Partners for Parks was born. The three men worked tirelessly to research and implement the best practices of other parks foundations and craft bylaws of the new 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Their hard work has been realized over the past 26 years through upgrades and improvements made to park and recreation facilities in Mecklenburg County and surrounding regional parks and public areas.
“He saw the benefit of that,” says Godsey. “It affects millions of people over the next generations, and Doug’s footprint is going to be on it.”
Doug remained on the Partners for Parks Foundation until his death, serving in many different leadership capacities. His 26 years of service included working with Brad Davis on the County’s original master plan for the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, a highlight of Mecklenburg County’s stellar and renowned system of parks, greenways, and recreation facilities.
One of the crowning achievements for Partners for Parks could not have happened without Doug’s leadership and teamwork. Working with Alvin Woods, a peer-associate of Partners for Parks Foundation, Doug was able to bring the 2016 US Paralympic Trials for Swimming, Track & Field, and Road Cycling to Charlotte ahead of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. It was the largest combined Paralympic Trials in history and the first time that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee held all of its team selections for these sports in one location. The Paralympic Trials gave great exposure for the abilities of people with a disability.
This incredible event was a shining example of Doug’s commitment to ALL athletes and the role sports play in lifelong development.
“I feel so honored to have known Doug through his connection to Abilities Unlimited and the fantastic work done by Partners for Parks in bringing the Paralympic Trials to Charlotte,” says Steve Goldberg, Managing Director of SCS Media and wheelchair basketball writer for FIBA Basketball, who has more than 25 years of paralympic media coverage experience. “I will always remember Doug’s love for the kids and his dogged enthusiasm for making the world a better place.”
Doug’s service to parks went even beyond Mecklenburg County. He served many years as a Trustee of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), including serving as Treasurer for several terms. He was also a founding member of the National Association of Park Foundations (NAPF), again serving as Treasurer. Additionally, at the national level, he served on the board of the National Foundation for Sustainable Parks, once again using his accounting skills as Treasurer.
In recent years Doug has been an extremely active member of Friends of North Carolina State Parks. He again rose in the ranks to Treasurer. Additionally, Doug remained committed to making local citizens aware of the vast opportunities for educational and volunteer involvement with North Carolina’s many different natural parks, their locations, and outdoor offerings.
Doug was very committed to PLAY and served for many years as part of the US Play Coalition. He was instrumental in establishing the first Regional PLAY Coalition – Partners for PLAY – as a sub-group of Partners for Parks in 2019.
“I am proud to be a friend and colleague of Doug Youngblood. He made such a difference for all of us in park and recreation – not only in NC but the nation,” declared longtime parks leader Fran Mainella in Doug’s memorial service eulogy. Fran was the 16th Director of the National Park Service and the first woman to serve in that role, and served with Doug on the NRPA Board for many years. She worked closely with Doug to establish Partners for Play as part of the U.S. Play Coalition. She recalls fondly how Doug’s last wish was to see Partners for Play get established and grow under the Partners for Parks umbrella.
“Doug will be remembered for all he wanted to do to help others and this memory will continue long after his death,” says Fran. “Doug made a difference for so many and will be missed by many.”
Doug's mission in life was to advocate for parks and recreation, whether local, state, or national. His intention, as a citizen and civic leader, was always to bring the best practices possible to Mecklenburg County and its merged metropolitan Park & Recreation system.
Al Brown, Partners for Parks Treasurer, recalls how Doug was one of the “Founding Fathers” of Partners for Parks, serving as the original Treasurer, and also Vice President, President, and Chairman over his 26 years on the Board.
“Without a doubt, Doug has his fingerprints on parks and recreational areas in Charlotte and across the country,” Al fondly recalls, noting that once Doug knew of his financial background, he took Al under his wing in the organization. “He was my mentor in teaching me about parks and foundations, and taught me about working with friends and partners for building stronger parks through relationships.”
Doug is survived by his brother Quay Youngblood (Cathy), nieces Katie Youngblood, Courtney Youngblood, and Carmen Castanet Betts, and nephews Brennon Youngblood and Paul Castanet. He was preceded in death by his mother Martha Stoner Youngblood (d. 2008), his father William Lester Youngblood, Sr.(d. 2012), and his brother William Lester Youngblood, Jr. (d. 2021).
Friends celebrated Doug’s life at his home church, Central Steele Creek Presbyterian Church, on December 29, 2021. He is interred at Pleasant Hill Church Cemetery in Charlotte.
We have created “The Doug Youngblood Memorial Fund” that will be used to create a permanent dedication honoring Doug's lifetime of service to parks and recreation in our region, our state, and our nation. Below is a link to our DONATE page on our Partners for Parks website.
Select "The Doug Youngblood Memorial Fund" to join this effort:
https://partnersforparks.org/donate/
Remarks to BOCC - January 19, 2022
Good morning Commissioners and Manager Diorio,
Thank you again for your time last night and for allowing us to speak about our interest in expanding the greenway budget for FY23 and beyond. Partners for Parks is committed to improving and expanding the greenway and public space network in Mecklenburg County and your continued support of that work is vital to that success, and greatly appreciated.
Please see below for my/Partners for Parks' statement from the budget hearing - we hope that you will consider our request.
January 19, 2022
Good evening Commissioners, and thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Emily Condon and I am representing Partners for Parks.
In case you don’t know of us, Partners for Parks is an all-volunteer non-profit advocacy organization. For 26 years, we have focused on improving the quality of life in Mecklenburg County and the surrounding region by preserving, promoting and enhancing parks, greenways, open spaces, play, and recreational opportunities for all. Partners for Parks would like to commend the Commissioners for their continued support of greenways and public spaces the past 4 years and echo the praise made by the folks that spoke before me. We are here tonight to ask you to increase funding to further support the progress Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation has already been able to make creating more equitable access to public open spaces for all of our residents.
Having access to parks and greenways increases our community’s health in so many ways – those who have access and are able to safely and easily walk or bike to a park or greenway are more likely to have better physical, emotional and mental health, have safer and more vibrant neighborhoods, feel a stronger connection to their community and have more opportunities for economic and upward social mobility. Parks and greenways are not an amenity, but a critical part of our public infrastructure that everyone should have equal access to - just like our grey infrastructure - the roads, the utilities, etc.
But we know not all communities in Mecklenburg County have the same level of access to this infrastructure.
While both parks and greenways are critical pieces, greenways provide the added benefit of being long and linear, touching more people as well as more properties and can therefore have the largest impact on the economic, transportation, and social benefits than any other type of open space – mainly because they can provide closer proximity to more people.
We know that there are challenges in acquiring land, permitting, and building greenways. It is a very complex and challenging process and we commend the County staff for all they do, and they need more tools at their disposal so they can continue to meet the increasing mileage that has been requested by the community and provide more access to public open space to all of our residents in a faster time frame.
Tonight, we are asking for your support to increase the funding in the budget to help bring Mecklenburg County up to where it should be in terms of critical greenway infrastructure and equitable access for all of our residents. This concludes my remarks. Thank you for your time.
Join us for a VIRTUAL event about new greenways
Join us for this free virtual event as we hear from Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation staff about their plans to provide more opportunities for residents to play in parks and stroll or bike on greenways. You'll also hear from several community-based groups as they share the work they're doing to support parks and nature preserves, park amenities, facilities, and greenway trails. As always, we'll host a Q&A session and talk about ways for YOU to get involved!
This event is co-hosted by Sustain Charlotte, Partners for Parks, and the Carolina Thread Trail.
Thursday, February 24, 2022
5:00 - 6:00pm
Partners for Parks’ ‘Pick 10’ Makes an Easy TD for 10 Kids and Luuuuuke
It’s a very Merry Christmas indeed for a handful of children on a Dick’s Sporting Goods shopping spree, thanks to ProCamps, Partners for Parks, and one very special Panthers alumnus.
Partners for Parks and ProCamps have worked for over 15 years to choose youngsters for the gift of pro sports, using both the generosity of local teams and the ProCamps clinics that have included names like Luke Keuchly, Steve Smith, and Kemba Walker.
Tuesday, 10 young people got the chance to shop at Dick’s with Panthers great Luke Kuechly, who shared time and sports advice generously with the young pals. The “Shop with a Pro” trips have been a longstanding tradition with Dick’s Sporting Goods, ProCamps, and Partners for Parks’ Alvin Woods, who helps select deserving kids for the spree based on his years of working with young athletes.
“We’ve always come through for them, and they know they can contact us,” says Woods.
As Kuechly – or Luuuuuke to Panthers fans everywhere – made his way around the store, he stopped and talked to each of the kids at length about their purchases. He shared his own stories about his influences (like Panthers’ Walter Peyton Man of the Year Thomas Davis) and pro tips about getting the best performance. Parents smiled and snapped photos of the linebacker with their kids.
“We love the looks on the kids’ faces, especially being a parent this time of year,” says Wade Leaphart, Community Marketing Manager for Dick’s Sporting Goods. “If you can build the surprise into it, it’s that much more special.” The kids sure were surprised to see Luke!
Nine-year-old Branden Perry’s mom certainly loved it! While her son shopped carefully for track shoes for the upcoming season, a pair of Croc’s (a popular choice among the kids), and a Marvel-logo golf ball, Lamanda Jackson, who works as a behavioral specialist in Union County Schools, smiled ear to ear.
“I love it. As a single mom of a son doing so many sports, it’s helpful,” she says. “It’s really amazing. Being a single mom you can’t afford everything.” She beamed as Kuechly gave Branden some one-on-one advice for running faster at the track. He even offered to share some more tips in the future.
After an hour of shopping, Kuechly posed for a group picture with the kids and answered some questions for the news crews. Even behind the mask, you could tell the smile never left his face.
“Kids are fun – they’re just so excited. Christmas is a great time of year!” cheered Kuechly. “It’s easy to come out here, meet kids, and have fun, and the smiles on their faces makes YOU happy. Sometimes I think we get more out of it than they do!”
The evening was an easy Pick-6 TD for Luke, and an awesome Pick-10 for Partners for Parks and the lucky 10 kids who shared it with him. Cheers!
Historic Uptown Park Reinvigorated for a New Generation of Charlotteans
A significant piece of African American history in Charlotte has been restored and updated as a venue for a new generation in Uptown. On Tuesday, December 14, County Commissioners and several community partners joined to cut the ribbon on a new, enhanced Pearl Park.
Partners for Parks Board Members Al Brown and Alvin Woods joined the parks community celebrating the event.
“It was well-attended on this beautiful day in the park!” exclaimed Partners for Parks Treasurer Al Brown.
The 11-acre park has an incredible history tied to the former Brooklyn and Second Ward neighborhoods demolished during urban renewal in the late 1960’s. It sits on the first land purchased by the City of Charlotte in 1943 specifically for African American Charlotteans to use as a Victory Garden during World War II, according to local historian Tom Hanchett.
In its heyday, the park was home to practice fields for the Second Ward High School “Tigers" football team, the marching band, community festivals, and parades, in addition to being a neighborhood park for Brooklyn, Second Ward, and even nearby Cherry neighborhoods. After Brooklyn was demolished for urban renewal, and Second Ward high school was closed during desegregation, the park suffered one more blow when I-277 cut it off from the remaining communities it served.
The $4.75 million restoration project includes pickleball courts, a basketball court with Second Ward High School blue surfacing, a playground with fitness equipment, restrooms, a performance pavilion and event lawn, and a lighted multi-use field. They’re nestled into a restored flood plain and creek bank that connect to public parking and, via sidewalk along Pearl Park Way, to the Little Sugar Creek Greenway across the street.
Interpretive panels share the park’s history, while a public art piece, “Brooklyn Stories” by sculptor Cliff Garten, continues the narrative of Brooklyn and Second Ward through a two-column, laser-cut stainless steel and bronze backlit sculpture. The columns are inscribed with stories and quotes from Brooklyn neighbors, and aligned on the axis of the former Pearl Street that brought them to the park, and for which it is named.
The restored park is a community effort among a number of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County agencies, along with Second Ward High School Alumni Association, Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Heritage Committee, Historic Landmarks Commission, and historian Hanchett. Pappas Properties and the local Realtor Association, who tore down and rebuilt their Charlotte office tower as part of the park’s new configuration, were generous neighbors in the process as well.
The artwork is a collaboration between the Second Ward High School Alumni Association, Levine Museum of the New South, and the Arts & Science Council, along with Mecklenburg County.
Make sure to take a stroll over to the renovated park and look for new wildlife in the restored creek next time you’re walking the Greenway in Midtown!
North Regional Recreation Center Gets Closer to Opening Day
The opening of the North Regional Recreation Center is getting closer! The new facility, on Old Statesville Road in Cornelius, will include many of the same features as the recently opened Eastway Recreation Center. Projected opening is in the first quarter of 2022, but until then, you can watch progress in the live construction camera on site, and see a time-lapse video of the entire project! Check it out: https://app.oxblue.com/open/edisonford/northregionalreccenter
Want to see more? Mecklenburg Park and Recreation shared some drone footage of the site with us. Look at this eagle’s eye view!
We love more ways to be active and play in Mecklenburg County!