Important Update — September 10, 2026

The Dilworth Youth Sports Association (DYSA) baseball hub will not move forward at Madison Central Park.

CMS confirmed on September 10 that it will work with Dilworth Youth Sports Association (DYSA) to identify an alternative location and plans to work with Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation to formally add Madison Central Park to a Master Joint Use Agreement.

This is an important accomplishment for our community—but it is not the finish line.

Madison Central Park is not yet permanently protected. Important decisions remain about what protections will be included in the Joint Use Agreement and how the community will be involved in future decisions about the property.

September 22 Update: Save Madison Central Park has provided CMS with historical records regarding Madison Central Park and submitted specific requests for long-term protections, community review and input, and clarification regarding the Joint Use Agreement process. [Read the September 22 Update] 

Where Things Stand Now

On September 10, CMS announced that the DYSA project will not move forward at Madison Central Park and that it will work with DYSA to identify an alternative location.

CMS now plans to work with Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation to formally add Madison Central Park to a Master Joint Use Agreement. This will still need to go through the approval process, including a vote by the CMS Board.

Just as important as adding Madison Central Park to the agreement is what the agreement ultimately says about how this specific property may be used.

CMS confirmed that it retains final approval authority over future changes to the property. CMS COO Tim Ivey also stated multiple times during the September 10 meeting that CMS is not required to obtain community input before making decisions regarding the property.

On September 22, Save Madison Park formally asked CMS to clarify where the Joint Use Agreement process currently stands, what approvals remain, whether the Madison Central Park-specific terms are still subject to modification, and when the community will have an opportunity to review and provide input on those terms. 

Our focus now is making sure the progress our community has achieved results in meaningful, long-term protection for Madison Central Park and a lasting voice for the community in its future.

[Read CMS' September 10 Follow Up]

[Read SMP's e-mail to CMS on September 22]

What We're Asking For Now

Our goal is to preserve Madison Central Park as flexible-use community green space.

Our goal is not to prevent recreational improvements, school activities or children from using the park for sports. We want Madison Central Park to continue serving Pinewood Elementary, neighborhood families and the broader community without being converted into dedicated facilities for organized sports leagues or other uses that would fundamentally change its flexible-use nature.

As CMS and Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation develop the Joint Use Agreement, we are asking for:

• A seat at the table: An opportunity for the community representatives and independent legal counsel to review the proposed agreement before it is finalized or executed.

• Meaningful, long-term protection: Clear protections for Madison Central Park's flexible-use nature.

• Community notification and input: A written requirement that the community be notified and given an opportunity for input before significant future changes are proposed or approved.

• Independent review of future impacts: At a minimum, appropriate independent traffic, parking, stormwater, environmental and noise studies before significant changes to the property are considered.

These requests were formally provided to CMS in writing on September 22 as the Joint Use Agreement process moves forward. 

We are not prescribing a single legal mechanism at this point. Potential protections could include a deed restriction, deed amendment, strong site-specific permitted-use language in the Joint Use Agreement, or another legally enforceable, recorded protection. Save Madison Central Park has asked CMS to identify what mechanisms it believes are legally available to provide meaningful long-term protection and whether CMS is willing to consider those options as part of this process. 

Why Clear, Durable Protection Matters 

Madison Central Park has a documented history of community investment and intended community use.

The park was created via a $50,000 matching grant from the City of Charlotte where the city <Taxpayers> provided $25,000 while the neighborhood community provided over $25,000 worth of volunteer hours to get the park created. Historical records include  a City of Charlotte Neighborhood Matching Grant and a signed March 2011 CMS letter supporting the grant. That letter described Pinewood Elementary as the primary user during school hours and the Madison Park neighborhood as the primary user after school and on weekends, with green open play fields, disc golf, a walking trail and student gardens. The construction of the swing set area has its own set of documents that indicate the extent of research, planning, and approvals prior to execution. There are also neighborhood meeting notes from the establishment of the park where CMS stated "no organized sports fields" be allowed, citing negative neighborhood impacts. Additional files include materials documenting the 2014 Neighborhood School Partnership Summit.

At the September 10 meeting, CMS stated that no formal agreement currently governs the property despite the formal grant documents.

Regardless of the legal status of those historical documents, the fact that CMS does not consider them to formally govern the property today underscores why the language and protections put in place now must be clear, specific and durable.

Stay Informed & Involved

The DYSA project is no longer moving forward at Madison Central Park, but the work to protect the park's future continues.

[Sign up for communications from the Save Madison Park team]

Stay connected with notifications from our group as the Joint Use Agreement is developed and moves through the approval process.

[Sign up for direct CMS/ County communications]

This is a separate sign-up for residents who would like their contact information shared with CMS and Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation so they have a direct way to communicate with residents regarding Madison Central Park.

[Request or replace a yard sign]

Already have a yard sign? Please keep it up! Continued visibility and community engagement remain important as the Joint Use Agreement is developed. 

Signs should be placed at least 11 feet from the curb. If your sign was removed, simply complete the yard sign form again and we'll replace it free of charge. 

Can You Help With Legal Review? 

As CMS and Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation develop the Joint Use Agreement, legal review will be especially valuable.

If you are an attorney, or know an attorney who may be willing to volunteer some time, please reach out. We would greatly appreciate help reviewing the Joint Use Agreement or other documents related to Madison Central Park.

Contact Save Madison Park by e-mailing savemadisonpark@gmail.com

In the News

Queen City News covered the September 10 meeting and the community's continued effort to secure long-term protections for Madison Central Park.

[Read / Watch the Queen City News Story]

Latest Updates

September 22, 2026
Community Provides Historical Records & Outlines Requests for Joint Use Agreement 

September 10, 2026
CMS Community Meeting & Path Forward

September 8, 2026
CMS Board Meeting

[See the Full Timeline]