West Charlotte High’s parking lot woes have been part of the plan since before opening
An unfinished parking lot is standing in the way of tradition at West Charlotte High School, furious alumni and parents say.
For the second straight season, West Charlotte will not have a home football game and won’t until fall 2023 — despite having a renovated football stadium with a new field house. That means West Charlotte — which opened a brand new school building this fall — plays all of its home games at crosstown Waddell High, including its homecoming game Sept. 30 against Hopewell High.
Waddell is a 10-mile drive from West Charlotte’s campus, depending on the route.
Fans are again wondering why the football team can’t play on its home field, with attendees using parking at nearby businesses.
“As a fellow West Charlotte alumni, Class of ‘88, I feel great pride in being a Lion,” Cindy Cornett wrote to school board member Thelma Byers-Bailey and in an email provided to The Charlotte Observer. “The energy at that school is undeniable. Based on what I’m hearing from other alumni, it seems as if the school is getting conflicting messages as to why they aren’t allowed to play at home.”
Byers-Bailey’s district includes West Charlotte High School.
Why isn’t the parking lot done?
CMS consultant Dennis LaCaria told The Charlotte Observer this week old West Charlotte High buildings have to be demolished before they can construct the rest of the parking lot and fields, which is supposed to happen this year into next with it scheduled to be finished in August 2023.
Right now, LaCaria said parking is available during school at the field house, bus lot and, for staff and visitors, on the corner of Senior Drive and Southwest Boulevard.
When work is finished, the school also will have new student parking spaces, new parking adjacent to the tennis courts, which will likely be designated for staff, new visitor/administrative parking adjacent to the main entry of the new building and new additional staff parking near the auditorium entrance.
Despite frustration among West Charlotte fans, LaCaria said the parking lot that would allow home games is on schedule.
“This process is actually the norm when we build a replacement on site,” LaCaria said, “and it’s preferable to ‘swing’ situations because it’s less disruptive to students, staff and families who are anchored to a school’s location.”
LaCaria also said it minimizes transportation impacts.
“We anticipate having demolition completed and all new work completed in summer 2023,” he said.
Isn’t there enough parking available without the new lot?
The answer is no.
“There are actually minimum parking standards that we have to meet,” LaCaria said. “The parking standards encompass what is necessary to provide staff, student, and visitor spaces; as well as support assembly areas like stadiums and auditoriums. Right now, we are under the number needed at the school’s location.”
Also, in order for the district to secure the necessary permits, CMS agreed to move football, baseball, softball, track and field and soccer to other high schools during the period of construction of the new West Charlotte High campus (2020 to 2023), according to a letter dated Dec. 13, 2019 from Gary Adams, director of architecture, to the city of Charlotte’s commercial plan review department.
“Only practice activities shall be conducted on the existing artificial turf field at the high school,” the letter states, meaning CMS is not allowed to hold sporting events on West Charlotte High’s field while construction is going on, even if there is parking available at nearby businesses.
When West Charlotte High can host games, what will fans see?
Besides a new school that boasts 100 classrooms and state-of-the-art facilities, the new stadium features a seating capacity for more than 4,100 spectators.
And while home games can’t be played yet, West Charlotte High’s football team practices on the new field.
“The field is ready to go,” Elisha Wilson, a parent of two West Charlotte High varsity football players, told the Observer in August. “Why can’t the boys play there? There’s nothing like playing on your home field, and that’s where team spirit comes from.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2022 at 7:01 AM.
