‘Get ready for some fun’ at first-of-its-kind Cabarrus facility
Published on October 24, 2024
A crowd of more than 230 people buzzed with anticipation and excitement on North Washington Street Wednesday evening.
They gathered to experience the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Cabarrus County Library and Active Living Center at Mt. Pleasant and Virginia Foil Park.
Ushering in a new era of connection under beautiful skies, the day marked the opening of a facility designed to bring generations together.
“This project began with a vision by the county to provide a true intergenerational facility for the community of Mt. Pleasant and the greater Cabarrus County area,” Rachel Nilson of CPL Architecture, Engineering and Planning told the crowd during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Whether relaxing with a book on the covered patio or participating in a sport or public event with the family, this facility and park will have something for everyone.”
Inside the impressive 20,000-square-foot space, attendees discovered shelves filled with books—each a doorway to new ideas and adventures. Digital resources and interactive learning areas invite exploration and creativity.
But libraries are about much more than just books and amenities, according to Library Branch Manager Kelley Cunningham.
“It’s not about checking books out to a family, it’s about hearing about an epic first day of school,” Cunningham told the crowd. “It’s not getting somebody on a computer, it’s helping them fill out a job application that’s going to change the lives of their family. We, just like the active living center staff, get to be on the front lines everyday of improving people’s quality of life, and I assure you that that is not something we take lightly.”
The multipurpose room offers a perfect setting for community gatherings, workshops and events that inspire collaboration. Just steps away, the fitness center allows visitors to improve their health and well-being.
Together, the spaces create an ideal setting for learning and wellness, encouraging everyone to explore their minds and strengthen their bodies.
Wednesday’s celebration also highlighted Virginia Foil Park, which features three lighted ballfields, a playground, a walking trail with fitness stations and plenty of open space.
The park’s nine-tenths of a mile perimeter trail and playground are now open, with the ballfields set to welcome the Mt. Pleasant youth league for baseball and softball in early 2025.
Virginia Foil’s daughter, Joanne, joined siblings Bill Foil and Dorothy Shillinglaw at the podium to share the rich history of the land, a former dairy farm that supplied the Cabarrus Creamery beginning in 1940s.
“Mom and dad would be thrilled to know that the land went to a public purpose and that it’s here for the enjoyment of the public,” Joanne Foil told the crowd.
The family also presented the library with a copy of Virginia Foil’s book “Looking Back: The Story of John Alexander and Virginia Eury Foil and Foil Farms.”
In echoing her mother’s words, Joanne Foil reminded the crowd to have appreciation for the work that sustained the land where the new complex sits.
“I hope my grandchildren have learned, and that my great-grandchildren will learn, to appreciate the farmer who feeds us,” Joanne Foil said, quoting her mother. “When you go to into the supermarkets and see all the beautiful food, think and say a little prayer of thanksgiving for a farmer. It takes a lot of know-how and hard work.”
Cabarrus County collaborated with EDIFICE for construction of the facility, CPL for architecture and engineering for the buildings and Benesch for engineering and design of the park.
For more information about the Cabarrus County Library and Active Living Center, visit cabarruscounty.us.
About Virginia Eury Foil
Virginia Eury Foil was born in Concord on March 20, 1927. She dedicated her life to agriculture, running the Foil Farm for 46 years. She was married to John Alexander Foil, who passed away in 1992.
In recognition of her contributions, she once was named Cabarrus County’s Outstanding Woman in Agriculture.
In addition to “Looking Back,” she published “Surviving the Depression: The Story of Franklin Alexander and Dorothy Hudspeth Eury” in 2011. She was working on a third book before her passing in 2019.