Badin breaks ground on 14-acre park

Badin Town Council first talked with Alcoa about an idea for a 14-acre public park next to the lake decades ago, and over the summer park ground was officially broken to make that vision a reality.
A small stage, a one-quarter mile walking trail, picnic shelters, restrooms, a youth play­ground and paved parking will round out Phase 1 of the five phase Badin Waterfront Park project, funded through a combination of North Carolina General Assembly appropria­tion, and NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant, according to Town Manager Jay Almond.
“The field has long played a role in local rec­reation. Countless memories have been made there, many going back to days when the lake side lawn was outfitted as a baseball, softball and football field, complete with grandstands filled with crowds cheering church, company, school, or youth league teams. The venue even hosted donkey baseball during summers dec­ades ago,” Almond said.
As time passed, conditions changed. Shifts in local economy, population and pub­lic tendencies combined with facility wear and tear led to the eventual demolition of the grandstands. Where a field of dreams once stood, a civic green space opened beside the cove.
As steward of lake and land, Alcoa main­tained the space while talks with the town, young in its incorporation, included the land as a potential donation for park use. But like so many plans, the idea was followed by delays and time moved on.
By 2008 new municipal realities and new re­sources brought the acreage again to the fore­front of discussion.

Along with local business grants, streetscape work and historic preservation projects, by 2012 a professional, actionable plan was drafted.
Those successes, however, were met by un­expected trials that needed to be hammered out. Obstacles on the horizon took precedence and property questions needed to be resolved. Maintenance continued and time passed.
Nearly a decade later, ideas and plans were placed on the docket in earnest.
Details were documented and signed, and in 2021 the Town of Badin officially became the recipient of 14.1 waterfront acres by way of donation from Alcoa, Inc., which also facilitated new professional plan devel­opment.
“Legislators responded well to big picture vi­sioning and positive energy demonstrated by local leadership,” Almond said. “Sustainable prosperity clearly included the park and state funding was ultimately secured. That funding, com­bined with other state and local grant awards soon favored the effort.”
A public park with opportunities for visitors to be entertained, support health, relax, com­pete and more would be built.
But first, a modest groundbreaking.
While not all were present for the recent groundbreaking, many staff members and local officials, some living, some passed on, played a part in bringing the park to the pub­lic, including; Tom Garrison, James Harrison, Herbert Hinson, Steve Drye, Bill Ward, Deloris Chambers, Steve Dutton, Larry Milano, Steve Lowder, Anne Harwood, Ryan Hatley, Ernest Peoples, Gary Lowder, Demar Huntley, Charles Council, Dale Ward, Wayne Carter, Terry Eudy and Jay Almond.
“We appreciate their vision and their work, and soon we’ll have opportunities to make our own memories out in that field beside the lake,” Almond said.

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