We now have 600 acres of public space, with nearly 20 miles of trails, 10 miles of streams and lake frontage. Mountain Creek Park features 20 miles of trails.
Photo by: Nancy Pierce
MAKING MOUNTAIN CREEK PARK: NEW PARK IN CATAWBA COUNTY BUILT ON PARTNERSHIP Along the shores of Lake Norman in Catawba County, N.C., the sounds of osprey, red-bellied woodpeckers and cicadas now mingle with the joyful squeals of children, friendly greetings from hikers and the whoosh of mountain bikes zipping by. Catawba County’s newest public park has been over 15 years in the making, and it is finally open. Covering 606 acres, Mountain Creek Park is a regional outdoor recreation destination with nearly 20 miles of multi-use trails (10 of which are part of the Carolina Thread Trail), an adventure playground, mountain bike pump track, pickleball courts and more.
Waterfront on Lake Norman. Photo by: Nancy Pierce
Catawba Lands Conservancy protects the land around those trails and waterfront areas. The park is a prime example of partnership and patience. Mountain Creek Park’s story began in the mid-2000s with Duke Energy’s relicensing of the Catawba-Wateree hydropower system, which includes Lake Hickory, Lookout Shoals Lake and Lake Norman. Through that process was born the idea for a passive recreation park along the lake. As a land trust serving Catawba County, the Conservancy stepped in to help secure funding. Mountain Creek, a tributary of Lake Norman, runs through the heart of the property, making its protection meaningful for water quality. With the Conservancy as facilitator and additional support from Crescent Resources, LLC, Catawba County secured a $2.1 million grant from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF) for acquisition of 589 acres. The property was officially protected in 2010, with the Conservancy holding a conservation easement on approximately 306 acres and the remaining 282 acres held by NCLWF. Since that time, the Conservancy has stewarded the property, monitoring annually, as work to turn the site into a regional destination progressed. As plans for the
Mountain Creek Park grand opening.
YEARS IN THE MAKING,
A PARK FOREVER
On June 18, I had the privilege of speaking at the Grand Opening of the new 606-acre Mountain Creek Park in Catawba County, N.C. The park is an example of how persistence and collaboration can result in a community asset that lasts forever. Purchasing the land, conserving a large portion of it and preparing it to be a park began over 15 years ago. Behind the podium where I was speaking to an excited crowd, children were playing on the coolest playground you’ve ever seen. It’s about an acre and looks like the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse with rope bridges, slides, skywalks and a climbing wall. These children’s merriment was absolutely infectious. It was the perfect soundtrack to the day because it is for them, and their children and grandchildren, that we save land and connect lives to nature.
BART LANDESS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Photo by: Bart Landess
park came into focus, it was clear that there was an opportunity to connect into the Carolina Thread Trail network. Catawba County worked with the Thread Trail to designate a loop of approximately 10 miles as Thread Trail, giving mountain bikers and hikers a fantastic place to go for longer excursions. With the park’s official opening in June 2022, the results of this hard-working partnership have finally come to fruition. “Thanks to the perseverance and commitment of all the partners involved, we now have 600 acres of public space, with nearly 20 miles of trails, 10 miles of streams and lake frontage, and all the associated amenities,” shared Will Summer, Executive Director of NCLWF. “There is something for everyone who shows up.” Residents of Catawba County and beyond can now experience the beauty of the Carolina Piedmont in their own backyard.
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2 0 2 2 FA L L N E W S L E T T E R
FIELD NOTES
MAILING AREA
South Fork River Blueway in Gaston County, N.C. Photo by: Nancy Pierce
Coley Preserve Hosts Songbird Study The Conservancy’s properties serve as living laboratories, playing host to a variety of research projects, including a Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) study at Coley Preserve in Lincoln County, N.C. The study, which tracks species of songbirds found at the preserve, has so far yielded 17 different species, including common yellow-throat, white-eyed vireo and Acadian flycatcher.
Female indigo bunting, Coley Preserve in Lincoln County, N.C. Photo by: Nancy Pierce
FALL NEWSLETTER
Smaller Properties, Big Wins
We’ve Moved!
McCorkle-Howie Conservation Easement in Union County, N.C.
Our new office is located at 2400 Park Road, Suite 1, Charlotte, N.C. 28203
The Conservancy has protected three new properties so far in 2022! The 31-acre McCorkle-Howie Conservation Easement is in Union County. The Deal and Freeman-Holcomb Conservation Easements are both located in Mecklenburg County, and total nearly 30 acres of protected land. These three properties add to existing conservation corridors, preserve local history and protect water quality, making them important additions to our 17,000 acres of properties.
Photo by: CLC Staff
Check out our Upcoming Events: Donor Paddle on the South Fork River Saturday, October 22 Trail Forum Thursday, December 1 • 8 am - 5 pm
Get Outdoors This Fall Looking for fall colors? We recommend hitting the South Fork Rail Trail for some leaf peeping, then heading into Lincolnton for a slice at GoodWood Pizzeria, owned and operated by the Rollins family, whose land we conserve. Morrow Mountain State Park Trail or Lake Welchel Trail are great options for scenic autumn vistas.
Overmountain Victory Trail Lake Welchel Segment in Gaffney, S.C.
The North Carolina legislature has designated 2023 as the Year of the Trail. Sign up for our e-news to learn about Year of the Trail events. Carolinathreadtrail.org/enews Our audited 2021 financials are now available on our websites.
Photo by: Nancy Pierce
Coming soon! Little Sugar Creek Greenway Brandywine to Tyvola Segment in Charlotte, N.C. Photo by: Nancy Pierce
download our guide to the top autumn adventures on the Thread Trail.