City Walks Charlotte
DISCOVER CHARLOTTE’S NEIGHBORHOOD STORIES
City Walks Charlotte was held May 3-6, 2023. Participants got the chance to discover the Queen City on free walking tours. The Walks are aimed at raising interest about Charlotte’s art, history, public spaces and more. Each tour is different, led by a local historian, activist, non-profit leader or neighborhood resident. These walks are inspired by urban activist and author Jane Jacobs.
2023 WALKS
AN EVENING STROLL IN THE ELIZABETH NEIGHBORHOOD
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 – 7:00–8:20 pm
The Elizabeth Neighborhood got its start around 1900 as Charlotte’s second “streetcar suburb.” Today its residents are considering official designation as a Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic District. You will stroll through newly renovated Independence Park and admire arts-and-crafts bungalows including the home of noted Jewish writer and Civil Rights activist Harry Golden. Start Location: Meet in the Hawthorne Recreation Center Parking: Parking lot, 345 Hawthorne Lane Additional information: This walk is almost entirely on city sidewalks, sometimes uneven but wheelchair-accessible.
UNC CHARLOTTE BOTANICAL GARDENS
Thursday, May 4, 2023 – 10:00–11:00 am
Join a walking tour through UNC Charlotte’s beautiful Botanical Gardens. Start Location: Meet at McMillan Greenhouse, UNC Charlotte, 9090 Craver Road, Charlotte, NC 28262. Parking: There are five free parking spots available adjacent to McMillan Greenhouse, in Lot 16A. If you park in those spots, you must sign in at the Greenhouse. If those spots are full, the closest paid visitor parking is in East Deck 1, 9110 Mary Alexander Rd., Charlotte, NC 28262. Additional information: This walk is only walking accessible and comfortable shoes are recommended.
POLLINATOR HABITAT TOUR ALONG THE URBAN ARBORETUM TRAIL
Friday, May 5, 2023 – 9:00–11:00 am
Explore CharlottE’s pollinator gardens and community green spaces along the Urban Arboretum Trail in Historic West End and Third Ward. The tour will be a loop that begins at West Pinewood Cemetery and will make several stops including Martin St. pollinator garden, I-77/West Trade St. underpass enhancement area, and Third Ward Gathering Garden on West 4th St. at Johnson and Wales Way. Start Location: West Pinewood Cemetery – 1335 Old Cemetery St., Charlotte NC 28216 Parking: West Pinewood Cemetery – 1335 Old Cemetery St., Charlotte NC 28216 Additional information: This walk is wheelchair-accessible. The tour will be rather lengthy at 2.25 miles, and attendees will be walking mostly on sidewalks throughout the tour, including a few hills with steep topography.
UNIVERSITY CITY: SUBURBAN RETROFITS
Saturday, May 6, 2023 – 10:30–11:45 am
University City has become one of Charlotte’s most dynamically changing places since light rail delivered in 2018. Since then, urbanity has begun to replace the suburban fingerprints of the past, making way for a much more walkable place. This walk around the core of University City will explore our past, present and future. Including a mix of history, details and insights on the projects reshaping the community, as well as plans for the future, you will learn about the challenges and realties that come with retrofitting suburbia. Start Location: Boardwalk Billy’s, 9005 JM Keynes Drive, #2, Charlotte, 28262 Parking: Shoppes at University Place Additional information: This walk will cover mixed terrain, and some stretches have limited wheelchair-accessibility.