Salemburg will open its first park Saturday with the grand opening of Love McDaniel Memorial Park.
Last September, the town of Salemburg was awarded an $84,621 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant, selected by the Parks and Recreation Authority of North Carolina. The grant, combined with a $110,000 donation from Earl and Bridget McDaniel, helped fund the soon-to-be opened venture.
In early 2023, while developing the town of Salemburg’s Land Use Plan, several interest meetings were held and surveys were conducted asking residents what they would like to see in town. At the time, a park was the most common request from residents, according to town officials.
Town Clerk Teresa Smith shared that the town had also added approximately 100 houses, many occupied by young families who wanted a park.
Town officials shared its plans for a park with Earl McDaniel, who also expressed interest in seeing one established in the Sampson town.
Through the McDaniels’ donation, the matching PARTF grant and several other donations, the park was developed.
Earl McDaniel and his wife no longer live in Salemburg. Love McDaniel, Earl’s grandfather, is the namesake of the park.
When asked about the park, lifelong Salemburg resident and new mother Mikayla Freeman shared her excitement for Love McDaniel Memorial Park, stating she is “beyond ecstatic.”
“Having a park in Salemburg means more than ever now that I’m a new mom,” Freeman expressed. “With an almost six-month-old baby, knowing we have a park just one minute down the road makes me so excited for his future and for him to have somewhere to play right here in his own town. I can already picture us walking to the park, having picnics, and spending time there while I watch my little boy play.
“This is something I didn’t have growing up — we always had to go out of town to visit a park. I think this is such a positive and exciting step for the future of the little ones in Salemburg!”
Another Salemburg resident and mother, Abigail Carter, shared the excitement she and her family have for the new park.
“There isn’t anything nearby like that, so it’s nice now to have something so close we can take the kids to in our hometown,” Carter shared. “We are so excited to see it come to life and know it will be something our whole community can enjoy!”
Love McDaniel Memorial Park includes playground equipment, a picnic pavilion, parking area and pathways. The park will officially open Saturday, with Earl McDaniel scheduled to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.