On August 11, 2023, Stinger Park was buzzing with more than just late-summer heat. It was the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new park, and it was buzzing with people, too. With excitement, people of all ages explored the new facility, which has baseball and softball fields, multipurpose fields, tennis courts, pickle ball courts, a cornhole area, shaded picnic spaces, scenic nature trails, jungle gyms, a splashpad, and so much more. After years of planning, McGill Associates, PA (McGill) helped bring the City of Bessemer City’s vision to life by providing electrical, planning, design, funding assistance and construction support for the project.
At the ribbon cutting ceremony, the Bessemer City Parks and Recreation Director, Jo-D Franklin, stated the park would be “generational,” which means it attracts people of all ages. He said, “as Stinger Park opens, I challenge each of you to come out to the park, close your eyes, and listen to the children play.”
Stinger Park hosted its first state baseball tournament in June 2023, a few weeks before the ribbon cutting, and the City estimates approximately 6,000 people attended the tournament. One of the main perks of the park is its ability to boost tourism and economic development. With its size and variety of activities, Stinger Park has established itself as a tourist attraction for others living in the southeast. With the ability to host large tournaments and festivals, the park was designed to be accessible and provide a gathering space. There are 255 parking spaces, concessions, and ADA accessible restrooms.
As summer 2024 quickly approaches, Jo-D Franklin is expecting Stinger Park to see a lot of foot traffic. Throughout the spring, the schools that are adjacent to the fields have been using the space for recreation time and field day. From March through November, there are baseball and softball tournaments for travel leagues every week, which brings people from out of town, and out of state, to Bessemer City. With the weather warming up and people wanting to spend more time outside, the pickle ball courts have been busy, and around Memorial Day weekend, the Splashpad will reopen for the summer season.
“Stinger Park provides something for everyone. Having multiple children, I appreciate a place where you can entertain various age groups in a great setting,” states Doug Chapman, McGill’s Vice-President. As you are looking for fun summer activities be sure to add a stop at Stinger Park on your list.
McGill is a proud sponsor of our Centralina Learns educational and professional development series
