With permission, The Beacon is archiving past issues of Matthews Record (also called Matthews News and Record and The Matthews News) articles online. Throwback Thursday articles will include relevant content still facing Matthews today. These editorials were originally published August 7, 2008.

We need our own park that our families can enjoy

First, let me thank you for providing the citizens of the Matthews region an opportunity for residents to have our say over the intended use of the 20+ acres parcel along McKee & Pleasant Plains Rd.

As a resident of Matthews for over 17 years, I have witnessed the declining parcels of farm land deteriorate into new residential subdivisions, apartment complexes, and commercial properties long enough! We must convince the elected officials of the town that we must retain the remaining “green spaces” such as this for neighborhoods to enjoy! I vote no to any proposed “Park & Ride” parking lots, new school, museum, or any other use besides a community park.

While the Town of Matthews begins construction of a new Sportsplex, and enjoys the popularity of the MARA baseball and football fields, and the Siskey YMCA fields, no one can doubt Matthews has a healthy youth sports entertainment industry, however, these are not community parks!

The residnets of the McKee Rd./Weddington Rd./Pleasant Plains Rd. area made a sacrifice to allow the Windsor Run community to be developed. As the most contested rezoning issue in recent memory, the elected officials should consider the hornets’ nest that surrounds this property. Allowing anything other than a park would be undermining the public’s trust!

Many of the residents who rescinded their petitions did so with the understanding that a park would be constructed on this parcel - not a school, not a massive parking area, not another baseball or soccer complex! The residents have to put their trust into our elected leaders to look out for their best interests. The town should follow through with their obligation.

While I personally would love to see an 18-hole par 3 golf course on the property for our golf enthusiasts. I know this isn’t feasible. So why not make it into a neighborhood park similar to Idlewild Road Park or Stallings Park or some of the other neighborhood parks like the City of Charlotte enjoys? Why should we have to drive 5-6 miles to enjoy a day at the park? For nearly 17,000 residents who reside in this area of the town, we need our own park our families can enjoy.

~R. Smith, Matthews

Anything but a park would be wrong and regrettable

I live on the corner of Pleasant Plains and McKee Rd. in the two-story yellow house facing Pleasant Plains Rd. , opposite the donated 20-acre parcel. I vote NO to anything but a park!

I have read many, many articles and comments regarding the LAND and TREES in and around the Matthews area.

I recently read the responses published in the 7/31/08 Matthews Record issue, stating the opinions of several people and what to do with it. I feel that the pond will probably not be kept as part of a park plan because of the concerns regarding drownings. As for the planting of tress…I am not convinced the concern for trees in Matthews is as great as they would have us think.

In order to widen McKee Rd. they will be cutting down ALL the trees, including a 100+ year old tree. To put a turning lane off Pleasant Plains Rd. onto McKee Rd., they will be cutting down another 100+ year old tree, when they could, instead do the turn lane in such to avoid cutting down this tree.

I do realize that since the detour started because of Weddington Rd. shut-down, there have been a great many cars needing to turn left onto McKee Rd. off Pleasant Plains. So-o-o, there is a panic situation to get the turning lane done, NOW! Isn’t anyone thinking logically? Prior to Weddington Rd., shutdown there were not that many cars “lined up” to make that turn. (I know, I have lived here for over 10 years.) And the number of cars will decrease drastically after Weddington Rd. re-opens.

Leave the trees at Squirrel Lake!

There is plenty of open space at the corner of Pleasant Plains and McKee for a park, playground, a place to run & play, to picnic, to fly a kite, etc. If we wanted to live in a “concrete jungle” we would move to one. At least New York has Central Park.

~Patricial Willis, Matthews

The charm and appeal of land is too valuable to develop

Living in the Providence Hills neighborhood across from the Fincher farmland has afforded us many picturesque views (aside from the power lines) of the cows, the pond with it’s variety of waterfowl and even the old lean-to that has its own charm and appeal. It is so sad to see this property be gobbled up by development. We would like to see the Town of Matthews turn the 20 acres being donated into some sort of park, perhaps even with a stage and band shell to hold concerts and festivals that seem to be outgrowing Stumptown Park.

As for the pond, heaven forbid they fill it in! Not only would we miss the beauty of the summer sun as it glints off the water and the cool, quiet reflection of the occasional winter snow, but so many animals would miss its presence as well. Gone would be the Canadian geese, the ducks, the beautiful Egrets and even the odd looking Turkey Vultures. It would be great if they could incorporate the pond into whatever the new use of this property ends up being.

On a side note, every day that we get to see the cows grazing is such a treat to my family and we can’t help but be curious as to what will happen to them after the sale is completed. Could The Matthews Record do a little public interest article about the Fincher family or at least what they will do with their cows after they move?

~Mrs. Carla Norman

Preserve it now because once it’s gone…it’s gone

We MUST preserve the 20-acre parcel of land that has been donated to the town. Let’s keep our small town-feel and show our appreciation for one of the only spaces that we have left to relax and enjoy nature. We need the trees, the birds, the owls, the deer, the beavers, and all of the creatures that live there to be part of our village, too, because once it’s gone…it’s GONE!!!

~MNF, Matthews