Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, Reimagining Historic Latta Place

Background

Latta Place is a historic house built around 1800 in Huntersville, North Carolina. In 2020, Mecklenburg County Park & Rec staff and community partners came together to work toward the completion of the Latta Place Interpretive Master Plan. In 2022-2023, the focus was on how public ideas and input factor into the initial draft of the plan, and how they will be implemented.

The Board of County Commissioners will receive an update on next steps for site reopening in the fall of 2023

What We Did

Civility Localized helped design a public input survey and web portal where the public could weigh in and learn more about the County’s efforts to engage the community as a plan to reimagine this historic site came together.
Our team tracked the comments and responses from more than 1,000 community members. We used equity, inclusion, and belonging principals to engage historically marginalized communities, including descendents of those enslaved on the land in question.
Our expert consultants and Community Ambassadors co-facilitated difficult conversations with sensitivity at scheduled Community Listening Sessions across the county.
We captured photos from these sessions. View them below. Photos by local artist and photographer Brenton Bent of B SINIMA LLC

Challenges

Engaging a diverse community on a highly sensitive project involving American history of chattel slavery, and systemic disenfranchisement of Black Americans. Ensuring all voices were heard, all communities were included in safe, constructive conversation spaces. Creating a sense of belonging for all at equity-minded public listening sessions. Facilitating sometimes difficult conversations with sensitivity and professionalism.