EAST SPENCER — The town of East Spencer is under contract to purchase 1.142 acres of land on the corner of Shaver and Andrews streets that is adjacent to Royal Giants Park.

The town, which owns the park, is purchasing the land with an eye toward projects in a 5- to 10-year capital improvement plan, according to Town Manager Michael Douglas. The town will pay $85,000 for the property.

“Initially, we’ll do a partial clearing so you can see the park from Andrews Street,” Douglas said. “Right now, you have to go down Shaver to see it, and we want people to know it’s there.”

The park’s main entrance is off North Long Street and it has become home to most of the community’s public events.

In time, Douglas said the hope is to build a community recreation facility with indoor track, basketball courts and other amenities.

“We want the park to become a jewel in town, like other cities have, but without the big city issues,” he added.

In the past, the town has not had the resources to improve the park, but in recent years, that has changed. After adding a splash pad in 2019, the town made improvements to the basketball courts, renovated the concession stand, made some minor repairs and upgrades to the splash pad and put in a paved parking lot. Next on the list, Douglas said, is to find an organization to partner with the town to make improvements to the baseball field.

Opened in 1978 on land donated by the Spencer Royal Giants Baseball Club, the park has been a safe place for neighborhood children to hang out, play sports and spend time outdoors where families know they are safe. That should continue, said Douglas. He said he is often out at the park, playing basketball “in my suit” with neighborhood kids and “there’s never an issue.”

In addition, the park includes a segment of the Carolina Thread Trail. That snippet links North Long Street in East Spencer to the park and its amenities — splash park, corn hole court, ball fields and picnic area — along Robinson Road.