A new playground was dedicated at Rankin Lake Park on May 2. About 30 children from the T. Jeffers Recreation Center attended the ceremony. One child, Kylie Youngblood, was the first to ride the zip line and “cut” the ribbon to officially open the playground. The kids in attendance enjoyed refreshments and playing on the zip line, play structures, swings, and a rock climbing wall.
Gastonia’s Director of Parks and Recreation, Cam Carpenter, thanked the community for its support, including the City Council and members of the Recreation Advisory Committee. Rankin Lake has been a community landmark since its construction in 1922. The lake originally was a reservoir for drinking water and the land around it was developed into the City’s second park. Rankin Lake Park underwent a major renovation in 2012, but the clubhouse and playground were not updated at that time.
With the new playground complete, the next renovation project will be the clubhouse. The clubhouse building will be closed in early 2020 for interior and exterior improvements.
