The long-awaited Epsom Park is one step closer to completion following a recent ground-breaking ceremony to turn over those first shovels full of dirt on the property of the former Epsom School.
Franklin County purchased the 7.62 acres at the corner of Eaves Road and N.C. 39 way back in 2006. A sign marked the site as the “Future Home of Epsom Park” for years, and that dream is becoming a reality some 18 years later.
Thanks to a $434,625 grant from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority’s Trust Fund – which was matched by Franklin County – the park is embarking on Phase 1, which Franklin County Parks and Rec Director K.P. Kilpatrick said should be complete by fall 2025.
Phase 1 will feature paved walking loops, a multi-purpose field, sand volleyball, cornhole and playground, as well as a picnic shelter and restrooms.
Kilpatrick spoke to the group gathered at the groundbreaking ceremony that chilly, breezy Dec. 6 morning and said the park will stand as a symbol of what can be accomplished when people and entities work together.
“Creating a space for one another,” he said, “brings the promise for a brighter future.”
District 2 Commissioner Roxanne Bragg said the park has been a dream for the Epsom community for a long time, and she looks forward to having the community in her district be able to enjoy its amenities.
Visit https://www.franklincountync.gov/county_services/parks___recreation/index.php
and click the Epsom Park link on the left side of the page to view site plans, maps and a video of the groundbreaking.
