Parking improvements at the E.E. Waddell Community Center will be in place by summer 2020 as a result of a recently-formed partnership between the City of Albemarle and Stanly Community College.

“Two parking areas, one between the Waddell Center gym and Wall Street, and one between the center and McLaughlin Street, will be improved,” Lisa Kiser, director of Albemarle Parks and Recreation, said. “These improvements will net us around 45 to 48 parking spaces.”

Under the agreement, grading of the parking areas will be performed by the Stanly Community College Heavy Equipment Operations program and will provide hands-on experience to students in the program, while saving city and taxpayer dollars.

In addition to the Parks and Recreation Department, Albemarle’s Departments of Public Utilities, Public Works, and Planning and Development Services are parties to the partnership agreement.

“We hope to break ground in the next few weeks,” Kiser said.

Toby Thorpe is a freelance contributor for The Stanly News & Press.