Mecklenburg County's first "adventure park"

Mecklenburg County expects to begin construction on a massive new park in Huntersville next year.

Why it matters: Eastfield Park will be the county's first "adventure park," meaning it will retain its natural character, similar to the county's nature preserves, but will include park amenities, like a playground and dog park.

State of play: The 114-acre park would begin the first of two phases of construction in mid-2025. Phase 1 should open by fall 2026, activating 60 acres of the site. The project is currently in the design development phase, per a county spokesperson.

What to expect: Phase 1 will include the construction of a roughly 1-acre dog park, which will have separate areas for small dogs and large dogs. The dog park will also include a small shelter.

• There will also be bike trails, a nature-based playground, rest areas, an outdoor picnic shelter overlooking the tree canopy, restrooms, a multi-use path along Eastfield Road, plus parking.
• The park will be at 13729 Eastfield Road Huntersville, NC 28078 .

By the numbers: The total budget to create the master plan for the park, design it, acquire the necessary permits and complete construction on Phase 1 is $8.7 million.

The big picture: Park and Rec currently has eight parks under construction , an additional 11 parks in either the design, permitting or bidding phase and an additional 14 parks funded for development over the next five years, a county spokesperson says.

• The county is also upgrading 24 of its existing parks with new amenities like dog parks, pickleball courts, splash pads and skate parks.

What we're watching: Charlotte/Mecklenburg currently ranks No. 87 out of 100 U.S. cities in the annual ParkScore report from the nonprofit Trust for Public Land.

• The area's biggest culprit is a lack of access to green space , so more parks could bolster its standing.

Go deeper: Mecklenburg County leaders seek input on new 27-acre park in east Charlotte