Mecklenburg Park and Recreation is presenting its 10 Year Comprehensive Park and Recreation Master Plan to the County Commissioners at 6:00 pm in the Meeting Chamber of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center (CMGC) located at 600 East Fourth Street (lobby level).   

As we've discussed here and in our monthly meetings, P&R's new Plan has been very comprehensively designed with continuing input and feedback from the entire community. They have heard that the amenity the citizens want from their Parks above all others is hiking and biking trails. They have included the need for substantial new property acquisitions as a major part of the Plan. They understand and are stressing in the Plan that in a few short years there will be little land available in the county for acquisition - so now's the time! 

Both Jim Garges, The Director of Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department, and Scott McClure, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Commission, have asked the Trailblazers to come and show their support for the P&R Department's new Master Plan.  This presentation to the County Commissioners will be the first step in planning a bond referendum for the funds necessary to buy land and develop the Master Plan. We can show our support by being present, wearing our Tarheel (and other cycling ) jerseys and supporting the P&R presentation to the County Commissioners.

Come on out and show your support for P&R's Master Plan and their intention to have the County raise the funds necessary to acquire land for parks and trails and other P&R initiatives for the next 10 years. As far as acquiring land, it's now or never so we need to let the Commissioners know how importanmt this is for us and the entire community. I can almost guarantee that the bond referendum won't be big enough to accomplish all of P&R's 10 year plan. But only through community involvement and letting the Commissioners really know how important this is to us will we be able to maximize the size of the bond referendum and have P&R  purchase as much land as possible.

There is paid parking across the street from the Government Center on S. Davidson. Even better, there is metered parking (free after 6:00pm) on S. Davidson between 2nd and 3rd streets.

Hope to see you there Wednesday night!!!


Jim G.

I just realized that's race day.

If your not racing, Come on out to the Commissioner's meeting.

The Misses and I will be there.

Gramps

We were there also but couldn't hang until the bitter end either. I was about to pass out from hunger. 

One thing I did learn is that if you are an asthmatic, senior, mentally ill cyclist May apparently is the month for you in Charlotte. 

Here's a note we got from Greg Jackson at P&R this morning and my response. He wanted me to pass along their thanks to the entire organization.

Please, everyone, learn about and support the P&R 10 year Master Plan. It not only can result in lots of new P&R land for new trails, but is a visionary plan that (if implemented to a substantial degree) will have a substantial impact on the quality of life for the entire community and be a lasting legacy.

Oh, and County Commission Chairwoman Jennifer Roberts really likes our jerseys! Wait till she sees the new one! 

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Thanks Greg. I'll be sure to share this with the members of the organization. 
 
We also appreciate the partnership with P&R and look forward to continuing to help make a reality of your vision to make Mecklenburg County's P&R Department the absolute best that it can be. Please don't hesitate to let us know where you believe we can help throughout the funding process in order to make it happen. 
 
Tarheel Trailblazers
Jim Grover, President




From: Jackson, Gregory [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 9:34 AM
To: Grover, James
Cc: Garges, James R
Subject: BOCC meeting


Jim:
I appreciate you and the other Tarheel Trailblazers riding out the marathon meeting last night to lend your support of the park and recreation master plan.  Your comments were right on and it is good for the commissioners to hear from concerned citizens.  It is partnerships with quality organizations like the Tarheel Trailblazers and many others that allow Mecklenburg County P&R to really maximize our resources to benefit our citizens and visitors.  We really appreciate what the Trailblazers do.  There is NO way we could build and maintain a quality trail system at the level you do with our current resources.  Please share our appreciation with the rest of your membership.  We look forward to continuing this excellent partnership.  Thanks. 
 
Greg Jackson
Division Director II, Park Operations & Athletic Services
5841 Brookshire Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28216
(O) 704.336.5471
(F) 704.336.5472
 
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Yes it was taped and will be on the Govt. channel (16?) again. You'll want to either tape it first and then wind thru over 4 hours of preliminaries till you get to the main event or else start the tape 4 hours after the program starts (if you can?)!

By the way, Chair Roberts was also very surprised and seemed impressed that the Trailblazers have over 40 miles of trail in P&R properties alone! These folks don't know this stuff unless we tell them. Now we need to keep reminding them too.