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Relocation Resources

 

 

I am so glad you have made the decision to relocate to the Charlotte area.  It is a wonderful place to live and I am sure you will find that you have made the right decision.  I have taken the liberty of putting together some helpful information in order to make your transition to our area a smooth process. 

  • Cabarrus County

    *Resource Contact Information 

    Harrisburg

    Mecklenburg County

    Catawba County Kannapolis Mt Pleasant

    Charlotte Metro Area

    *Resource Contact Information

    Lake Norman South Iredell
    Concord Lake Norman (West)  

     

    Adult Daycare seems to be a growing need in the area and not only a concern of the baby boomer era but also caretakers of adult special needs candidates. If you have a need for Adult Daycare, please visit this website:  http://www.coltranelifecenter.org  You will be impressed with this United Way affiliated organization.

     


    Charlotte Metro Area:

     

    The Charlotte region is composed of 16 counties, including two counties in South Carolina, with the city of Charlotte serving as the hub. Located in the heart of the Southeast, Charlotte lies within the southern Piedmont of North Carolina along the state's border with South Carolina. Charlotte is the largest and most accessible city between Washington, D.C. and Dallas, TX. Owing to its mid-Atlantic location, getting to Charlotte is easy from anywhere in the country or world, garnering its nickname the "International Gateway to the South".

     

    More than 55 percent of the country's population lives within a two hour flight of Charlotte and 6 million people live within a 100-mile radius. Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, the national hub of US Airways, carries on average more than 500 flights a day and has more flights per capita than any other airport in the nation.

    Charlotte offers drivers convenient access to the Queen City by way of its highly efficient and growing interstate highway system. I-77 and I-85 connect Charlotte to cities in the Northeast, Southwest and Midwest. Convenient I-40, less than one hour north, provides an important east/west link with coast-to-coast access.  View on map.

     

    Beyond the skyline of the nation’s second-leading financial center, lie Charlotte’s historical and visually stunning neighborhoods. Stroll through Charlotte’s most diverse streetcar-era neighborhoods, where buildings range from vintage factories to grand Southern estates. Take in turn-of-the-century architecture and traditional idyllic thoroughfares with boutiques and restaurants scattered along tree-lined streets.

     

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    Main Areas of Charlotte

    One of Charlotte’s streetcar-era suburbs, the captivating neighborhood of Dilworth is, as Southern Living puts it, “the picture of vitality.” Bungalow-style homes, oak-shaded sidewalks, and a traditional neighborhood feel characterize this popular area. Up and down Dilworth’s main thoroughfare, East Boulevard, visitors can stumble on hip eateries, trendy boutiques, corner cafes and more.

    Myers Park, an area with old Southern estates and streets lined with towering oaks, is known by Charlotteans as one of the city’s most prestigious addresses. Nestled amongst the winding, shady streets is the not-to-be-missed Mint Museum of Art. And tucked between a stretch of breathtaking residences is The Duke Mansion, the former home of Duke University founder James Buchanan Duke, which is now a bed and breakfast.

     

    Dilworth’s neighbor, South End, is just a trolley stop away from Center City and pairs an assorted mix of restaurants, antique shops, and retail with a relaxed atmosphere. Fine local and regional performing and visual artists host a bevy of live music, monthly gallery crawl events, and festivals like the “Art and Soul of South End.”

    NoDa, SoHo’s little sister, is Charlotte’s historic “arts district” located on North Davidson, just north of Center City. After the closing of the area’s last mill, NoDa began a renaissance of sorts in the 1980s that drew young artists into the area who had a vision of developing a new art community for Charlotte residents. Today, NoDa is home to a funky collection of galleries, performance venues and dining hotspots.

    Also, be sure to check out the South Park, Plaza-Midwood, Ballantyne, and University neighborhoods.

    Proud of its commitment to culture, Charlotte’s increasingly varied social calendar runs the gamut. Among many, visitors can choose from opera, art, ballet, theatre, architecture, and more. From marquees touting the latest Broadway smash hit to the sounds of jazz drifting out of the corner martini bar, variety is certainly a key to the city’s sophistication. Outstanding museums and attractions tell powerful stories with their history and beauty and showcase the city’s spirit as well as the world’s wonders.

    Helping to promote arts, the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg supports 27 cultural organizations, neighborhood festivals, arts education programs and much more that result in over 65,000 performances and events annually.

    Charlotte is home to some of the nation’s most foremost museums and galleries. The Mint Museum of Art and Mint Museum of Craft + Design guide visitors through ever-changing exhibits featuring some of the world’s finest collections. The Levine Museum of the New South exhibits some of the most fascinating collections of post-Civil War Southern history including its award-winning centerpiece exhibit, Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers. And Discovery Place, the South’s premiere hands-on science and technology center located in Center City, features more than 300 exhibits including a live rain forest.

     

    One of the South’s premier arts festivals, Charlotte Shout is a month-long celebration dedicated to all things culture – food, music, art, theatre, and more. Events ranging from outdoor jazz concerts to BBQ festivals to improv comedy shows are just a sampling of the enriching happenings to be experienced during this cultural jubilee.  

     

    The area’s culturally-enriched tapestry is a distinction that beckons visitors to return to the city year after year. Check Charlotte’s Calendar of Events to learn more about the great cultural happenings taking place in the Queen City.

     

    Unbeknownst to most, Charlotte has a rich American history steeped in the discovery of gold and the pride of the Scots-Irish settlers. The Queen City was founded in 1769 and named for Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of England. Now the nation’s second leading financial center, the city was fittingly built upon the crossroads of two affluent Native American trading paths. The intersection of these two paths, now major streets, is known as the heart of Charlotte -- “Trade & Tryon.”

     

    The discovery of a 17-pound gold nugget in 1799 drew many immigrants to the area to follow the nation’s first gold rush. However, the boom was short-lived. The many Charlotte opportunists ready to strike it rich flocked to California in 1848. Agriculture, mainly tobacco and cotton, was the major revenue provider for the region up until the Civil War. After the War, textile industries sprang to life when the city became a cotton processing center and a major railroad hub.

    Through the success of the railroads, Charlotte became the Carolina’s largest city and a Southeastern textile and distribution hub. The city’s neighborhoods and development continued to expand with the addition of the streetcar system followed by skyscrapers, suburbs, and leading businesses. City planners like the renowned John Nolen helped to shape Charlotte’s modern day suburbs like Myers Park and Dilworth.

    As businesses continued to flock to Charlotte, the city’s banking industry gained real momentum in the 1970’s and 1980’s under the leadership of financier Hugh McColl. McColl transformed the North Carolina National Bank into the present day Bank of America. The combinations of both Bank of America and Wachovia have made Charlotte the largest banking headquarters, second only to New York City.

     

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    Contact Information for Charlotte Area Resources:

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    UTILITIES

     

    Electric:

     

    Duke Energy

    704-594-9400

       

    Water:

     

    City of Charlotte

    704-336-2211

       

    Gas:

     

    Piedmont Natural Gas

    704-525-3882

       

    Telephone:

     

    BellSouth

    888-757-6500

    Time Warner

    704-377-9600

       

    Wireless:

     

    Cingular

    866-246-4852

    Verizon

    800-256-4646

    Alltel

    800-255-8351

    Sprint

    800-480-4727

    Suncom

    877-225-5786

    Cricket

    800-274-2538

       

    Trash:

     

    Charlotte Dept of Sanitation

    311

       

    Cable:

     

    Time Warner

    704-377-9600

       

    POLICE/SHERIFF/FIRE/RESCUE

     

    EMERGENCY:

    911

    NON EMERGENCY:

    311

       

    NEWSPAPER

     

    Charlotte Observer

    704-358-5040     www.charlotte.com

    Independent Tribune

    www.independenttribune.com

    Salisbury Post

    www.salisburypost.com

       

    LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, INSPECTIONS

     

    Licenses:

     

    North

    704-547-5786 or 5787

    DMV Bldg 8446 N Tryon St

     

    East

     

    6407 Idlewild Rd;Bldg 3;Rm 112

    704-531-5529

    South

     

    201 A W Arrowood Rd

    704-527-2562 or 2563

    West

     

    6016 Brookshire Blvd

    704-392-3266 or 3267

    Registrations:

     

    North

     

    4612 Hwy 49 S; Harrisburg

    704-455-9517

    East

     

    6058 East Independence Blvd

    704-535-2525

    South

     

    4200 H South Blvd

    704-525-3832

    West

     

    6016 Brookshire Blvd

    704-399-8306

       

    RECYCLING

     

    North Mecklenburg

     

    12300 N Statesville Rd

    704-875-1563

    West Mecklenburg

     

    8440 Byrum Dr

    704-357-1473

    Hickory Grove

     

    8007 Pence Rd

    704-535-3781

    Foxhole

     

    17131 Lancaster Hwy

    704-341-4962

    www.charmeck.org/departments/LUESA/Solid+waste/Home.htm

    Other locations for self help:

     
       

    CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS

     

    Student placement:

    980-343-5335

    School Board:

    980-343-5139

    Transportation:

    980-343-6715

       

    AREA HOSPITAL SYSTEMS

     

    Carolinas Medical Center

    704-355-2000

    Presbyterian Hospital

    704-384-4000

     

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    Lake Norman:

     

    Thirty years ago, Lake Norman – 25 miles to the north of Charlotte – was primarily a weekend retreat, its shores dotted with tin-roofed boathouses, mobile homes and fishing cabins.

     

    That began to change, however, with the completion of Interstate 77 in 1976. Suddenly it was possible to live like you were on vacation all year round only a quick 20-minute drive from work, shopping and entertainment in the big city.

    Lake Norman, like Lake Wylie, its sister lake to the south, is a “working” lake, created by Duke Energy for the generation of hydroelectric power. Both are part of the Catawba River system. Norman is the larger of the two lakes though, with 520 miles of shoreline in four counties - Mecklenburg, Iredell, Lincoln and Catawba. At nearly 34 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point, it is larger than the Sea of Galilee and often referred to as “The Inland Sea.”

    As any developer will tell you, retail follows rooftops and the Lake Norman area is no exception. Lake shoppers can now browse unique boutiques, quaint village shops, upscale specialty stores or national chains. In the town centers, entrepreneurs are converting homes, warehouses, old mills and train depots into craft, consignment, antiques and clothing shops. Restaurants, which used to look at Lake Norman as a secondary location, are now opening here first, then branching out to Uptown and other parts of Charlotte.

     

    There are nearly a dozen marinas that offer wet or dry boat storage starting at $1,000 annually. If you’re putting your own boat into the water, public access ramps are available at Jetton Park, Blythe Landing and Ramsey Creek Park in the Cornelius/Huntersville area. Iredell County public access areas include Hager Creek Access at Exit 33 and McCrary Creek Access, Pinnacle Access and Stumpy Creek Access off N.C. 150. In the Denver area on Lake Norman’s west shore, head to Little Creek Access Area on Webb’s Chapel Road or the Beatties Ford Access Area on Unity Church Road. Catawba County boaters can choose from several marinas on lower Lake Norman south of the N.C. 150 bridge or Long Island Marina on Burton Drive.

     

    Unless you’re on a boat or have access to private land, 1,600-acre Lake Norman State Park in Troutman is the only place swimming is allowed from Lake Norman shores. The park also offers boat ramps, picnic shelters, campsites, mountain biking and hiking trails.

     

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    North Mecklenburg:

     

    When Charlotteans refer to the Lake Norman area, they usually mean the area north of the Harris Boulevard/I-77 interchange, which includes Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson in Mecklenburg County. In less than 20 years, the three towns have been transformed from sleepy rural hamlets into thriving towns with all the amenities of city life, from business parks to bistros, housing to health care. Now Lake Norman’s eastern shore towns grapple with the same issues that drove their residents here in the first place. 

     

    In 1990, 3,000 people called Huntersville home. But proximity between the Queen City and the lake, lower home prices, less traffic and quiet communities has catapulted Huntersville’s population to more than 30,000 today.
    Two-lane country roads once woven through pastoral farmland are now clogged with cars, and the wide-open space is becoming increasingly filled with new housing, offices and retail development.

     

    Although much of the retail and residential areas in Huntersville are new, the town also has numerous historic sites within a five-mile drive of Beatties Ford Road. Hopewell Presbyterian Church, for instance, dates to the 1740s and features 200-year-old stone walls around its cemetery. The Hugh Torance House and Store, started in the 1770s, is the oldest surviving store site in North Carolina. The two-room log cabin also sat on a cotton plantation and was used as a school for young ladies, slave quarters and an overseer’s house.

     

    Each April, the Loch Norman Highland Games celebrate the area’s Scots-Irish heritage with athletic competitions, bagpipe music, dancing, tartan parades and historical demonstrations.

     

    Another pocket of preserved Huntersville is Latta Plantation Nature Preserve, the county’s largest green space with hiking trails, picnic shelters, a nature center, an equestrian center, boating and fishing on Mountain Island Lake and the Carolina Raptor Center, which rehabilitates and releases injured birds of prey.

     

    Huntersville also has a new family fitness center and outdoor fun park where kids can slide through tubes, spray water cannons and climb sprinkler-filled jungle gyms set inside a pool.

     

    Cornelius also has felt Lake Norman’s growth spurt, climbing from 2,500 residents in 1990 to more than 15,000 today. The catalyst to growth in Cornelius was a town-financed water-sewer project along West Catawba Avenue in the late 1980s. Large, upscale developments such as The Peninsula arrived, adding hundreds of homes to the area.

     

    Services and shops followed, and Cornelius embraced the population boom by welcoming commercial development. Upscale shopping centers line West Catawba Avenue off Exit 28. Shoppers flock to Jetton Village, Shops on the Green, SouthLake Shopping Center and strip after strip of boutiques and eateries on West Catawba Avenue. Now the shops have overflowed to East Catawba, where old bungalows and stately brick homes have been converted into funky, fun downtown boutiques.

    New subdivisions, office parks and retail shops in Cornelius have brought prosperity, but along with it, crowded schools, roads and public services.

     

    Lake Norman residents already enjoy two top-notch county parks in Cornelius – the 105-acre Jetton Park with lake access, tennis, bike rentals, walking trails, picnic shelters, playground and a beach; and Ramsey Creek Park, a 43-acre waterfront park with two large picnic shelters, a playground, volleyball courts, picnic facilities, fishing and boat slips. The brand-new, 18-acre, town-owned Torrence Chapel Park features ball fields, tennis courts, jogging trails, basketball and picnic shelters.

    Of the three North Meck towns, Davidson has been most resistant to Lake Norman growth.
    The town is named for Gen. William Lee Davidson, a local Revolutionary War hero who died in the battle of Cowans Ford in 1781 and the namesake of Davidson College, the town’s small liberal arts school founded in 1837 by the Presbyterians.

    Still a college town that locals often call a village, Davidson embraces a Main Street, know-your-neighbors way of life. Many folks have lived here for decades, while others have moved here for the small-town atmosphere, tranquility and easygoing pace.

    While Huntersville and Cornelius experienced massive growth in the 1990s, Davidson grew by just over 3,000 residents. Today the small college town has just over 7,500 residents.

     

    Across the three-town area in North Mecklenburg, planners have struggled to manage growth and provide services while preserving the warmth and small-town charm that attracts new citizens.

     

    Area residents can now take advantage of the $56 million Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville, on N.C 73 at I-77.


    The boom in population has been music to the ears of homebuilders and real estate agents. Newcomers can choose from a broad range of home styles and prices in gated communities, family-friendly neighborhoods with sidewalks and bike trails, waterfront condominium communities with boat slips or spacious luxury apartments.

     

    Many neighborhoods offer private golf facilities and amenities such as a residents’ club or country club that offers swimming, tennis and dining facilities. These include The Peninsula Club in Cornelius, River Run Country Club in Davidson, and NorthStone Club in Huntersville.

     

    Neotraditional neighborhoods sometimes referred to as “new urban design,” have recently become a trend in the Huntersville/Cornelius area. By combining homes, shops, service businesses and restaurants in a self-contained community linked by sidewalks and open green space, they offer a new twist on the village concept.

    Birkdale Village on Sam Furr Road in Huntersville includes apartments and offices above boutiques, restaurants and national retailers such as Williams Sonoma, Gap, Talbot’s and Ann Taylor Loft. Live bands play on warm-weather weekend evenings, and parents from around the lake bring children to splash and play in the village square fountain. The Nantucket-style shopping center’s quaint Main Street is lined with locally owned stores, a pizza parlor, ice cream shop, wine room, a 16-screen stadium-seating movie theater, bookstores and clothing shops.

     

    Above the retailers, The Apartments at Birkdale Village feature 45 different floor plans among 320 units, with everything from a loft to a three-bedroom with garage.

     

    Birkdale Golf Club, part of a 600-home master-planned community in Huntersville that includes a residents’ club, has one of the best public courses in the state.

     

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    South Iredell:

     

    Across the Iredell County line above Davidson, Mooresville continues Lake Norman’s east-side building boom.  Known as Race City USA for its abundance of NASCAR teams and shops, Mooresville’s population doubled in the 1990s. Today the town has about 21,000 residents – a number that continues to grow by more than 1,000 each year.

    The biggest change in Mooresville is the completion of home-improvement retailer Lowe’s 400,000-square-foot corporate campus, which houses the company’s headquarters. The campus currently employs 1,500 and anticipates 8,000 employees in more than 2 million square feet of space once the project is completed. Economic developers have called the Lowe’s campus the most significant industrial project ever built in southern Iredell County.

     

    Residentially, Crescent Resources continues to develop The Point, a Nantucket-style community at the tip of Brawley School Road with a private golf course designed by Greg Norman, a clubhouse and swimming pool. Several of the cedar shake and stone houses overlooking the lake cost more than $5 million.

     

    Winslow Bay Commons recently opened with 430,000 square feet of shopping, including the area’s first Super Target, TJ Maxx, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Michael’s, Pier 1 Imports, World Market and PETsMART.

     

    On Main Street across from a proposed rail-line stop, the former Burlington Industries plant on Main Street, vacant since 1999, is being converted into a 600,000-square-foot motorsports business park called Victory Lane Mills. Also downtown is a new 30,000-square-foot public library with a $2 million gift from Lowe’s.

     

    Depending on where you live in the Mooresville area, students attend classes in either the Mooresville Graded School District or the Iredell-Statesville School District. The latter, which serves the area outside the Mooresville city limits, opened its fifth high school, Lake Norman High, in 2002.

     

    With continued growth of homes and the Lowe’s corporate campus, Mooresville is making many significant road improvements. The N.C. Department of Transportation is reworking Exit 33 off I-77, widening Brawley School Road and building a new interstate exit at Langtree.

     

    By 2010, Mooresville also hopes to have the heavy rail North Meck line running from Uptown Charlotte through Lake Norman towns and the south Iredell corridor.

     

    Health-care providers also have responded to the needs of Lake Norman residents. Lake Norman Regional Medical Center recently moved from its former location in downtown Mooresville into a new, 117-bed facility at I-77 Exit 33. The complex, which also includes a physicians’ office building, has been the catalyst for a development boom at the interchange.

    Leading the charge is Crosland Commercial’s Mooresville Gateway development, which will include everything from fast-food eateries and convenience stores to hotels and medical offices.

     

    Recreation in the Mooresville area includes Queen’s Landing, home of the Catawba Queen and Catawba Belle, Mississippi paddle wheeler replicas that cruise Lake Norman year-round for lunch, dinner and sightseeing. Queen’s Landing also features a family entertainment center with two 18-hole mini-golf courses, bumper boats, tennis courts, a restaurant and deli/bar.

    Lake Norman State Park, north of Mooresville in Troutman, includes 1,400 acres with six miles of nature trails, a beach and swimming area, picnic shelters, campsites and boat rentals.

     

    The Lazy 5 Ranch features more than 750 animals, including giraffes, buffalo, antelope, deer, elk, camels, reindeer, long horn cattle, zebras, llamas, pigs and goats. There’s also a petting zoo, playground and picnic area.
    Equally family friendly is Carrigan Farms, a pick-your-own Mooresville farm that grows strawberries, peaches, asparagus, apples, pumpkins, tomatoes, corn and other seasonal vegetables.

     

    NASCAR race shops draw thousands of visitors a year who can see cars being built, trophies, photographs and other memorabilia. Local race shops include those of Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Brett Bodine and Ricky Rudd. The N.C. Auto Racing Hall of Fame is a museum dedicated to stock car, Indy and drag racing. Visitors see more than 35 cars, including winners driven by Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace and Davey Allison.
    Local golf courses include The Point (private), Mallard Head Country Club (semi-private) and Mooresville Municipal Golf Course (public).

     

    Downtown Mooresville will soon be home to its very own luxury condominiums at 100 North Church. The four-story building offers units ranging from $355,000 to $499,000 and includes retail on the ground level.
    Art-lovers will enjoy Cotton Ketchie’s watercolors and face jugs by regional potters at Landmark Galleries and the Mooresville Artist Guild’s Depot, a visual arts center located in an 1856 railroad depot. Both are in downtown Mooresville.

    Other long-time traditions include D.E. Turner Hardware, a century-old store with items piled to the rafters and salesmen who love to spin yarns, and Mooresville Ice Cream Company, which has sold Deluxe brand ice cream since 1924.

     

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    West Lake Norman:

     

    West Lake Norman – which includes the eastern Lincoln County communities of Denver, Westport and Triangle and the Catawba County communities of Sherrills Ford and Terrell – offer easy commutes to Uptown Charlotte, great water views and less congestion than the eastern shore of the lake.

     

    The main thoroughfares are N.C. 16, running north from Charlotte; N.C. 73, running west from Huntersville; and N.C. 150, running west from Mooresville.

    In comparison to eastern shores, Lake Norman’s west side is still in its building infancy. Gently rolling pastures, rustic barns and old family farmhouses can still be found, along with close-knit communities, neighborhood get-togethers, church activities and a slower pace of life.

     

    The western shore’s small-town feel, rural atmosphere, friendly residents, focus on family and reasonable prices draw many folks who prefer to get away from the east side’s traffic jams, shopping centers, interstate congestion and high prices.

    Western shore residents know growth is coming their way, too, but the goal has become controlling it and staying ahead of the problems population booms can bring to small communities.

     

    In the Lincoln County area of Denver, development is beginning to creep in from developers looking for lower prices, eastern shore spillover and the widening of N.C. 16 from Charlotte.

     

    Newer neighborhoods in east Lincoln include SailView, a Crescent Communities neighborhood with waterfront and interior homes from the low $400,000s to more than $1 million. Interior homesites start in the $50s. Located east of N.C. 16 in Denver, SailView includes amenities such as a swim and tennis club, community boat slips and family activities such as an Independence Day parade, free movies for children and bunco groups.

     

    Verdict Ridge, developed by former Charlotte mayor Eddie Knox, also continues to build upscale golf course and wooded-view homes starting in the $200,000s. Set in the rolling foothills down Little Egypt Road off N.C. 73, Verdict Ridge features a challenging 18-hole PGA golf course, serene lakes, quiet woodlands and an activity-filled clubhouse with a pool and cabana, tennis courts and playground.

     

    Governor’s Island, one of the first mansion-lined developments on Lake Norman, juts out from the western shore on a thin strip lined with sprawling homes. By car, the neighborhood is north of the N.C. 16/N.C. 73 intersection off of Webb Chapel Road.

    Also near the N.C. 16/N.C. 73 crossroads off South Pilot Knob Road are three communities: Waterside Crossing, The Gates at Waterside Crossing and The Bluffs at Waterside Crossing. All three communities have neighborhood swim clubs, playing fields, a short walk to shopping and a five-minute drive to public boating access.

     

    To compensate for the recent population boom along the western shore, especially among families with young children, Lincoln County Schools recently opened St. James Elementary and North Lincoln High.

     

    Lincoln Medical Center, a 101-bed hospital which is part of the Carolinas HealthCare System, serves western shore residents with a 24-hour Emergency Department, Heart Center, Sleep Center and Chronic Pain Management program. The recently-opened Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville serves west side residents.

     

    New residents who want to get involved in the community or learn more about issues affecting them can contact the East Lincoln Betterment Association (ELBA), a citizens’ group that lobbies for improvements and monitors growth issues along the western shore.

     

    As rooftops on the western shore of Lake