The Indian Trail Town Council has greenlit the next step in expanding Chestnut Square Park, pushing ahead with grading and prep work that could someday make room for a full-fledged community center, if the money ever shows up.
On June 24, the council directed staff to move forward with Phase 2B of the park project, a move that clears and grades land so it can accommodate a potential community center while keeping a planned multi-use turf field and extra parking on schedule. The center itself remains an unfunded idea, and councilmembers want to see hard numbers before they even think about construction.
The vote was unanimous, with Council Member Crystal Buchaluk absent. Several members described the decision as a way to protect future options for town programming. As reported by Charlotte Weekly, Mayor David Cohn said building parks was one of the best things previous councils did and that a community center “relates to the town’s future.” Council Member Tom Amburgey told the paper he did not think the town should spend money toward the center because it is not funded or approved by the council.
Town Manager Adam McLamb told the council the town has set aside about $7.2 million for Phase 2 and has already spent roughly $3 million on Phase 2A, leaving around $4.2 million for the next phase, Charlotte Weekly reports. “Everything but the community center is funded right now,” McLamb said, according to the outlet. Council Member Marcus McIntyre said the land should be prepped while grading for the turf field so the parcel stays open for a proposed community center.
Phase 2B scope and site analysis
Phase 2B is expected to bring another multi-use turf field, field lighting, a pavilion shelter, a 23-space parking lot and a plaza with seating, although the final details could shift based on a community center site analysis the town approved last year. The project page on the Town of Indian Trail website outlines Phase 2B and notes that design work may be adjusted depending on that analysis.
Town documents for Phase 2A, listed on the Town of Indian Trail site, show a funded amount of about $3.286 million, illustrating what has already been completed at Chestnut Square Park.
What comes next
With the latest council direction, staff will return with a proposed design contract and drawings for Phase 2B so the council can decide whether to lock in construction plans. If the design contract gets a yes, the town will seek bids and sharpen estimates for total costs and a construction timeline.
For now, Indian Trail’s leaders are trying to thread the needle: expand recreation space that residents are asking for, while staying noncommittal on a big-ticket community center until the design is nailed down and funding is clear.
