By FULLER ROYAL

Peg Kinlaw can’t believe that after one year of pushing, prodding and raising money for a new park in Chadbourn, it is within two weeks of being built and opened to the public.

Next week, an army of resident volunteers from across Columbus County and parts beyond will convene on a newly leveled lot next to the old police station and – in what can only be compared to an old-fashioned barn-raising – build a children’s park like no other in Columbus County.

Tired of having no place for their younger children to safely spend their afternoons and weekends, Kinlaw and friends began floating the idea of a park. That seed of an idea took float and before most folks knew what was happening, civic groups and private citizens as well as businesses had begun donating funds for what would be the first major park in Chadbourn’s history.

More than $75,000 of the park’s $110,000 price tag has been raised.

Last Thursday afternoon, Kinlaw stood on the site in a drizzle of rain, studying plans for the park.

She can recite from memory to the last detail exactly what will take place and what is needed for each day – each hour – of the project.

The park will feature plenty of picnic tables and benches for parents. There are older children’s swings and an area for tots including a train depot designed to look like Chadbourn’s. There are rocking horses, sandboxes, sliding boards and a covered pavilion.

There’s a fireman’s pole, a bucking bull ride, a small amphitheater for kid-created shows and a rock climbing-wall. Secret tunnels, chain ladders, monkey bars and a rocket ship complete the setup.

The equipment, lumber and materials for the park will begin arriving by truck this week. Ton of lumber, posts and wood chips will be stored in strategic spots around the site.

Eighteen-wheelers full of supplies will come in next week including a trailer from the City of Asheville containing more than $50,000 worth of power tools. Asheville, which has build four of these parks, is loaning the trailer.

Two tractor-trailer loads of lumber – $35,000 – will also be delivered. The lumber is of a high enough standard to last more than 30 years in the weather.

The park equipment is from a Pennsylvania company – Leathers & Associates – that specializes in community-built parks. Two crew members from Leathers will be in Chadbourn all next week to supervise all of the “build-captains” and their crews.

Moe than 250 holes for 250 posts will have to be dug. Progress Energy is making available one of its boom-auger trucks to for that task.

More than 30 electric saws and a lie amount of cordless drills will be used. More than 30 wheelbarrows will be brought in to haul dirt.

A large tent will be erected. This is the “pre-fab” area where pieces of the equipment will be assembled.

The entire Chadbourn Community has been involved with the project since its inception, including a “design day” last fall when students at Chadbourn Elementary created art pieces showing what they wanted at the park.

Chadbourn Elementary students raised $1,200 in pennies for the project.

There are groups of volunteers who will provide childcare at Chadbourn Baptist Church for workers involved in the construction. Other volunteers and groups are providing food and beverages for the volunteers.

Next Monday, the holes will be drilled. High school students will be used to set the posts in place. On Tuesday night, captains and key volunteers will meet for a talk-through. More than 12 tons of play sand and five trucks of wood chips will be delivered that day also.

A tent will be set up for the art committee – the group that will pant and decorate all of the pieces.

Kinlaw said they would paint the mural on the rock climbing wall.

Early Wednesday morning the “build captains” will report for the first of their five-day project. They will be there every day from start to finish.

Kinlaw said that about 100-150 personnel are needed per shift. Shifts are 8 a.m. until 12 noon, 12:30 to 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. until close. All work stops between shifts for lunch and supper breaks.

Volunteers can call ahead to be placed on a roster or they can sign in on the day they wish to work.

Kinlaw said that no more than 15 minutes will pass from the time volunteers arrive at he registration table until the time they “hit sawdust.”

Kinlaw said that when the number of shifts is multiplied by the number of workers needed per shift, it totals about 1,500 volunteer shifts.

Children 10-13 can work on site with an adult supervisor. Volunteers from 14 to 17 can work by themselves, but not with power tools.

“We need about 96 adults per shift,” Kinlaw said. Already, 400 volunteers have signed up, many for multiple shifts.

“Everybody is starting to get behind it,” she said. “These kids have never had a playground here.”

“We have put a lot of thought into why we want to do this,” she said. “We could just as easily have raised $15,000 and bought something and stuck it here.”

“A lot of people are working with each other who have never met each other before,” Kinlaw said. “The kids are really interested in this playground. They came up with the ideas.”

Kinlaw said that the more “sweat equity” put into the park, the more it will be appreciated.

Church groups, school groups, Scout troops and civic clubs as well as volunteers military, police, rescue or fire units are welcome to come and work a shift or more.

Those interested should call Kinlaw at 654-1297 or Donna Williamson at 654-4390.

Shifts are on Wednesday, March 29 through Sunday, April 2.

Kinlaw said she fully intends to officially open the park at 5 p.m. on that Sunday.