CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Beginning on Friday, crews will start ripping up Park Road Park in south Charlotte, closing much of the popular park for a year.
"I mean, what renovations are they going to be doing here that's going to take a whole year?" resident Josh Dover said.
Signs popped up around the park earlier this month letting visitors know that the park will be closed for renovations, catching many people off guard.
Park managers told Channel 9 that they'll be upgrading the park, which is usually busy with baseball games, picnics, and fundraisers.
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"Our end goal in this is to make the park much better than what it is," said South Region Park manager Alex Rohleder.
Parks and rec manager Alex Rohleder said they tried their best to coordinate with a massive city sewer project cutting through Park Road Park, which will cost $8.8 million.
"Just be patient, because you'll enjoy what will be here after we are done," Rohleder said.
Parks and rec managers said they have been speaking with leagues that use the ball fields, which are closed, along with the park's shelters for renovations.
Restrooms, parking lots and trails will also get a makeover. Areas like the playgrounds and tennis courts will remain open but could be affected.