The Kiwanis Club of Asheboro, known for its commitment to helping children in Randolph County, recently proved that once again with the donation of $50,000 for a playground to be constructed at the renovated McCrary Park.

The City of Asheboro accepted the check at a City Council meeting last month and will use the funds to build a playground, part of a renovation project that will make McCrary Park one of the top stadium sites in the Southeast.

McCrary Park is the home of the Asheboro ZooKeepers of the Coastal Plain League, the Randolph County Post 45 Senior American Legion team, two Junior American Legion teams and Asheboro High School. McCrary Park is also the site for an American Legion Regional Tournament as well as a Fall Baseball league. 

The Kiwanis Club had initially donated $100,000 to a playground to be constructed at what was called the Zoo City Park project back in 2008, but delays in that project and finally a $300,000 grant given to the YMCA for the project allowed the Kiwanis Club to look in a different direction for a funding project.

“It happened pretty quickly,” Kiwanis Club officer Lynn Jones said of the club’s agreement to fund the park at McCrary Park. “We gave the city of Asheboro $50,000 back in 2008 and they ended up giving it back to us after they were given a grant and we looked for another playground.”

The playground at McCrary Park will be constructed by Keystone Purchasing Network, which allows the city to receive large discounts.

McCrary Park is currently in the middle of a three-phase project, with the first phase being completed in May. That included new turf for the infield and outfield, a new outfield wall, new and spacious dugouts, new bullpens and a new scoreboard. 

The construction of a new grandstand, new ticket booth with a store, bathrooms and umpire building are among the projects slated to begin soon.