The proposed David and Pauline Jarrell Center City Garden, tucked in a historic neighborhood and within walking distance to downtown, will serve as a centrally located park and valuable amenity for residents and visitors alike. The park’s namesake is the former Mayor of Asheboro, Mr. David Jarrell, and his wife, Pauline. The couple was instrumental in creating a place for the park by donating and selling much of the land to the city. Community support for the Garden has been strong: successful fundraising provided seed money for the project.
The land is historically significant to the city, having formerly been owned by Governor Jonathan Worth in the mid-1800’s. The city’s intent is to have a public open space that will include gardens, parking, a visitor center, and references to the historic site. The Garden will sit on approximately three-acres.
A public planning process convened in 2021, ultimately leading to development of a Master Plan for the facility. Project supporters, city staff, and a Prospect Architecture, PLLC-led design team worked together to develop and refine concept plans and identify general spaces that should be incorporated into the Garden.
In the summer of 2022, the city expanded the project team and brought in the Piedmont Triad Regional Council of Government (PTRC), based in Kernersville, North Carolina. PTRC will provide additional technical support and has worked with the City of Asheboro in the past to secure grant funding, most recently for the Zoo City Sportsplex project. In the coming months, the project team expects to further refine plans for the Garden and begin environmental permitting, grant funding submission, and construction development. A community workday is planned for April 29, 2023 and will allow allow the public to learn more about the history of the property and the project, clean-up any litter, and remove brush in preparation for the Garden’s construction.
In February, 2023, the city hosted an informal workshop at the Asheboro library to present the latest concepts from the draft Master Plan to the public. City staff and project design team members were available to receive input and answer questions; an EVENT FLYER publicized the opportunity. Topics included included:
- Visitor Center Needs
- Archaeological Review
- Revised Plans Accounting for Wetlands
- Representation of Property History
- Funding Being Pursued
- Workday at Property on April 29, 2023
- Next Steps
More than 30 people attended and participated in the workshop; notes reflecting comments received are available below under Project Documents. The day after the event, City Council received an update on the project from Jennifer Wagner, the consulting landscape architect on the project. The slides used to provide that update also are provided below.
On April 29, 2023, a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Garden was held. The event recognized David and Pauline Jarrell and provided the public with an opportunity to learn more about the project, tour the site, and participate in installation of a landscaping bed at the entrance of the property.
After completion of the site's archaeological review in May, 2023, City Council formally adopted the Master Plan for the Garden on June 8, 2023. That action indicated that permit and construction documents preparation should begin and those efforts concluded in 2024 with all local and state permits obtained. Funding now is being pursued to construct the project; the Asheboro City Council has continued to support, with local funds, efforts to secure the necessary funds to build the Garden.
Current Status
In 2024, the City was awarded close to $300,000, via a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, towards construction of the facility. In 2025, an Environmental Review was completed related to the pursuit of close to $1.3M in additional federal funds. State and federal regulators approved the city's request in late 2025 and construction is slated to begin in April, 2026.