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By Jim Buice

For the Clemmons Courier

There’s lots of things to like about Lewisville. Just ask Mike Horn, who has served the town in public office for 28 years — including the last 12 as mayor.

“In 2024, we completed our new Lewisville Gateway project enhancing the appearance of our town, improving safety and reducing congestion at the U.S. 421 and Williams Road interchange,” he said. “And we completed the purchase of the old post office property between our current town hall and our town hall annex for our new town public works facility.”

It certainly took some time to complete the Gateway project, which got started in the 2017-18 time frame but was delayed by COVID and a lack of bidders.

Town Manager Stacy Tolbert, who was the town planner at the time, said of the project, which consisted of the widening of Williams Road to accommodate bicycles, a planted median, street lighting and new monument signs: “A lot of what we want to do in Lewisville is to create a very pedestrian feel, slow things down, be more rural in character.”

As for the old post office property, which is located between town hall and the town hall Annex, when the town learned it was for sale, Lewisville quickly moved forward to acquire what Tolbert called “a great opportunity.”

So in a new business item added to the council’s June 2024 meeting agenda, the council unanimously approved the purchase of the property at 6524 Shallowford Road that included a 3,000-square-foot building on 1.09 acres for $700,000.

Then in 2025, it was on to “construction of a new amphitheater, disc-golf course, nature trails and sidewalk connections between Jack Warren Park and the Mary Alice Warren Community Center this spring,” Horn said.

Of course, Horn failed to mention that the amphitheater was named in his honor for all the years he has served in Lewisville.

Adding to the growing appeal of that 30-acre showpiece is the majestic Shallowford Square just down the road in the middle of town, which Horn said “continues to bring thousands of residents to hear exceptional bands and participate in activities designed to appeal to all ages.”

And pivoting to the residential homes front, he noted “a significant increase in single-family development throughout the town both on larger tracts of land and on individual lots.”

Tolbert piggybacked on Horn’s comments, saying 2024 was a busy year, and 2025 has started out in the same fashion with many different accomplishments.

“The two biggest items that stand out are the completion of the Williams Road Gateway project and the Jack Warren Park improvements project made possible by a N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant,” she said.

“Moving into this spring, the construction of the new Great Wagon Road is scheduled to begin. Surveys show residents prefer commercial growth to remain in the downtown area of Lewisville so the Great Wagon Road could be an opportunity for smart growth within the town.”

The long-awaited project, which has been in the plans for downtown Lewisville for years, avoided a potential pothole in the October 2024 council meeting before the ultimate passing of a three-way $6.2 million utility agreement with the city of Winston-Salem and the N.C. Department of Transportation.

Horn agreed on the significance of starting work this spring “on our $19 million Great Wagon Road in downtown Lewisville. It is a parallel roadway to Shallowford Road and will relieve traffic and open a large new area for downtown commercial and residential development.

“I am also excited about the continued involvement of our residents in our town. We’ve developed a sense of community that is very special where folks feel connected to our town and to each other.”

As for any concerns, Horn pointed to “the proliferation of the negativity and false information on social media that undermines the efforts of those working to keep our town a great place to live. I encourage folks to get the facts and become positive members of our community.

“I am also concerned about the recent change forced upon us by the N.C. Legislature changing our local elections from non-partisan to partisan without consultation and against the wishes of all of our community leaders.”

Tolbert said she worries about keeping up with infrastructure needs in a town that continues to grow like Lewisville, stating “ongoing maintenance of our streets, stormwater measures, facilities, etc. must be in the forefront of our future plans. Increased growth brings increased pressure to our current systems, so it is important to keep a proactive perspective when it comes to budgeting for these situations.”

And what about the future?

“To me, the word ‘future’ is an opportunity in itself,” she said. “In the future, we strive to prioritize needs and services, continue to engage members of our community, and aspire to be a wonderful place our residents like to call home.  

“I’m excited that we are in a season of preparation and consideration of the future of Lewisville.  And I’m mostly excited about having the opportunity myself to be a part of it all.”

Horn said that he remains proud of all of those who continue to work to keep Lewisville one of the most desirable towns in the state in which to live. 

“The steadfast commitment by our elected leaders and residents to our comprehensive plan, which was first developed in 1995,” Horn said, “continues to guide us in maintaining our small-town character and friendly environment.”