Featured Top Story Editor's Pick Friday Five: Dorton Park trees and progress; a renovated Harrisburg restaurant Mark Plemmons Jul 25, 2024 Jul 25, 2024 Updated Aug 29, 2025 0 The expanded parking lot at Dorton Park has the curbing and sidewalk installed. Mark Plemmons, Independent Tribune Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Mark Plemmons One of the questions I’m asked most often is when will they reopen James Dorton Park in Concord?k9am}@] `k^9amkAmw2D 2 AC@;64E 6G6C 7:?:D965 @? E:>6 :? r232CCFD r@F?EJn %9:D :D 2? @A:?:@?2E65 2?DH6Ci ~?=J @?6[ t=: {:==J :? r@?4@C5[ 2?5 2? 6IA2?D:@? H2D 2??@F?465 E96C6 367@C6 E96 4@>A=6E:@? @7 E96 7:CDE A92D6] %96 @C:8:?2= AC@;64E H2D 4@>A=6E65 @? 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E2<6? 5@H?]k^Am The trees are gone along Afton Run Creek and the soccer field still needs work at James Dorton Park. Mark Plemmons, Independent Tribune kAm|@C6 E92? @?6 A6CD@? 92D D2:5 “:E =@@<D =:<6 2 3@>3 H6?E @77]”k^Am kAmx D?62<65 2 A66< E9C@F89 E96 76?46D 62C=:6C E9:D H66< 2?5 E96C6 2C6 D:8?D @7 AC@8C6DD 2?5 E96C6 H6C6 H@C<6CD @?\D:E6 56DA:E6 E96 H6E[ C2:?J 4@?5:E:@?D]k^AmkAm“qJ >J 6DE:>2E6 2C@F?5 b__ EC66D H6C6 C6>@G65[” x?56A6?56?E %C:3F?6 C6256C sCF $] #@3D@? D2:5] “x7 2D E96J D2:5[ ‘`_ A=2?E65 7@C 6G6CJ @?6 4FE 5@H?’[ E92E H@F=5 36 b___ EC66D A=2?E65] s@6D 2?J@?6 36=:6G6 E9:D H:== 92AA6?n (6 2== <?@H E9:D H@?’E 92AA6? 2?5 H:== 36 DE2CE6C EC66D WE92E E2<6X a_ J62CD 8C@HE9 E@ AC@G:56 2?J D9256]”k^Am kAm#@3D@? 2?5 r@?4@C5’D 6DE:>2E6 @7 EC66D E2<6? 5@H? 5:776CD] %96 4:EJ’D ?F>36C :D ``_]k^AmkAm“|2?J @7 E96 EC66D C6>@G65 H6C6 5625[ 5642J:?8[ @C 925 E96:C C@@E 32==D 6IA@D65 5F6 E@ E96 6C@D:@? AC@3=6>[” |2?D@? 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D2:5] “p? 255:E:@?2= a[d__ A=2?E:?8D @7 G2C:@FD EJA6D 2?5 D:K6D[ :?4=F5:?8 D9CF3D 2?5 8C@F?5 4@G6C:?8D[ 2C6 2=D@ A=2??65 7@C E96 DEC62> 2C62 2?5 E96 4:EJ 2C3@C:DE :D :56?E:7J:?8 ?6H |6>@C:2= %C66 =@42E:@?D E9C@F89@FE E96 A2C<]”k^Am kAm}@] bk^Am kAm!2C< :>AC@G6>6?ED :?4=F56 DEC62> C6DE@C2E:@?] r@?4@C5 92D H2?E65 E@ 5@ 2 DEC62> C6DE@C2E:@? @? p7E@? #F? rC66< 7@C J62CD 3FE 92D ?@E 925 E96 7F?5:?8 E@ 5@ D@]k^Am kAm%96 32?<D 92G6 366? 42G:?8 :?E@ E96 H2E6C 2?5 EC66D 92G6 366? 72==:?8 2?5 @E96CD H6C6 @? E96:C H2J :?E@ E96 4C66<] xE 4C62E65 7=@@5:?8 AC@3=6>D :? E96 A2C<]k^AmkAm“pE s@CE@? !2C<[ E96 A@@C DEC62> 4@?5:E:@?D @7 p7E@? #F? 2C6 36:?8 255C6DD65 E9C@F89 E96 3@?5 AC@;64E] %96 DEC62> C6DE@C2E:@? C6BF:C6D E96 32?<D E@ 36 8C2565 E@ 2 >@C6 8C25F2= D=@A6 2?5 2D 2 C6DF=E[ DFCC@F?5:?8 EC66D >FDE 36 C6>@G65[” |2?D@? D2:5]k^Am kAmp?5 96C6’D D@>6 8@@5 ?6HD 7@C CF??6CD 2?5 H2=<6CD H9@ 7C6BF6?E E96 A2C<i 2 ?6H H:56C >6E2= 3C:586 92D 366? :?DE2==65[ C6A=24:?8 E96 ?2CC@H H@@56? 3C:586]k^Am A new, wider bridge is in place across the creek at Dorton Park. Mark Plemmons, Independent Tribune kAm%96 @=5 3C:586[ H9:49 925 366? C6A2:C65 2 76H E:>6D[ H2D?’E C62==J H:56 6?@F89 7@C E96 7@@E EC277:4 2?5 @442D:@?2= 3:4J4=6]k^Am kAmp BF:4< D:56 DE@CJi (6 H6C6 CF??:?8 H:E9 E96 |@E:G2E6 (6==?6DD r@F49 %@ dz 8C@FA 2 4@FA=6 @7 J62CD 28@ 2?5 H96? 2AA2C6?E=J 2 9@CD6 925 366? :? E96 A2C<]k^AmkAmw@H 5:5 H6 <?@Hn %96C6 H2D 2 4=FEE6C @7 “9@CD6 >F77:?D” @? E96 3C:586] x 4=62?65 >@DE @7 :E FA[ D@ H6 925 2 C6=2E:G6=J 4=62? A2E9] %92?< 8@@5?6DD :E H2D?’E 2 4@H] %92E H@F=5 92G6 366? 92C56C E@ 4=62? FA]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm#@3D@? 2?5 @E96CD 2C6 FAD6E 2E 9@H H:56 E96 4C66< H2D H:56?65]k^AmkAmx H:== 5676?5 E96 4:EJ @? 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E96 E6??:D^A:4<=632== 4@FCED :D 4@>:?8]k^Am kAm(6 2== ?665 E@ 36 A2E:6?E — H9:49 :D ?@E D@>6E9:?8 x 2> 8@@5 2E] x 36=:6G6 H6 H:== 92G6 2 A2C< H6 42? 6?;@J]k^Am Signs around the park show the plans for the park improvements and gives the website to find out more information — www.concordbonds.com. Mark Plemmons, Independent Tribune kAm}@] dk^AmkAm%96 w2CC:D3FC8 !:KK2 wFE :D 36:?8 C6>@56=65] %96 C6DE2FC2?E H2D 4=@D65 =2DE H66< 7@C E96 H@C<]k^AmkAmxE :D @?6 @7 `h !:KK2 wFED :? }@CE9 2?5 $@FE9 r2C@=:?2 @H?65 3J r@?4@C5\32D65 r2C@=:?2 !:KK2 wFED x?4]k^AmkAm“(6’C6 324< @A6? ?@H[ 3FE H6’G6 DE:== 8@E H@C< E@ 5@ @? E96 6IE6C:@C[” D2:5 s@F8 r=6G6=2?5[ G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 @A6C2E:@?D 2?5 7:?2?46 7@C E96 4@>A2?J]k^Am kAm%96 A2C<:?8 =@E H2D C6H@C<65 5FC:?8 E96 4=@DFC6 2?5 >@DE @7 E96 :?E6C:@C H2D 4@>A=6E65]k^Am kAm!6@A=6 @7E6? 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E96 5:?:?8 C@@> 2?5 =2C86\D4C66? %'D] xE :D @?6 @7 7@FC @C 7:G6 =@42E:@?D H:E9 E96 ?6H 56D:8?[ r=6G6=2?5 D2:5]k^Am kAmp?JE:>6 E96 E@A:4 @7 !:KK2 wFE 4@>6D FA[ D@>6@?6 2=H2JD 2D<D :7 E96J 2C6 3C:?8:?8 324< E96 =F?49 3F776E] %96 2?DH6C :D “J6D 2?5 ?@]”k^AmkAm%96 r9FC49 $EC66E !:KK2 wFE 92D E96 =F?49 3F776E |@?52J E9C@F89 uC:52J[ 2?5 E96 &]$] e_` =@42E:@? 92D E96 =F?49 3F776E uC:52J E9C@F89 $F?52J]k^Am kAm%96C6 2C6 ?@ A=2?D 7@C 2 =F?49 3F776E 2E w2CC:D3FC8 @C @E96C =@42E:@?D]k^AmkAmx7 J@F 92G6 uC:52J u:G6[ DE@CJ DF886DE:@? @C D@>6E9:?8 x 42? C2?E 23@FE[ 6>2:= k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i>A=6>>@?Do:?56A6?56?EEC:3F?6]4@>Qm>A=6>>@?Do:?56A6?56?EEC:3F?6]4@>k^2m @C 42== @C E6IE f_c\fge\___`]k^Am Plemmons 0 Comments Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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Sign Up Today Related to this story Most Popular Friday Five: Traffic, a new restaurant, houses and more Mark Plemmons' Friday Five includes: The continuing traffic jam on Concord Parkway is caused by the Union Cemetery realignment with Rock Hill … New Northwest area elementary school key project for CCS The new Northwest Area Elementary School is a key project for Cabarrus County Schools as the district continues to respond to growth in the no… Down payment aid package launches in Cabarrus County, expanding homeownership access CONCORD — A local nonprofit is rolling out what it calls the largest down payment assistance package in Cabarrus County history, aiming to mak… Free West Avenue express shuttles return to Downtown Kannapolis KANNAPOLIS – The City of Kannapolis’ West Avenue Shuttles, Thunder and Lightning, will return to Downtown Kannapolis this summer. 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Friday Five: Traffic, a new restaurant, houses and more Mark Plemmons' Friday Five includes: The continuing traffic jam on Concord Parkway is caused by the Union Cemetery realignment with Rock Hill …
New Northwest area elementary school key project for CCS The new Northwest Area Elementary School is a key project for Cabarrus County Schools as the district continues to respond to growth in the no…
Down payment aid package launches in Cabarrus County, expanding homeownership access CONCORD — A local nonprofit is rolling out what it calls the largest down payment assistance package in Cabarrus County history, aiming to mak…
Free West Avenue express shuttles return to Downtown Kannapolis KANNAPOLIS – The City of Kannapolis’ West Avenue Shuttles, Thunder and Lightning, will return to Downtown Kannapolis this summer. The free shu…
Concord-Kannapolis and Charlotte region outpaced most US metro areas for 5-year growth The Charlotte metro area continues to attract thousands of people to the region each year. And the total number puts the area in the top 10 na…