(Sept. 19, 2022) – County officials debuted park improvements to the Richard “Hunkey” Mauldin Sports Complex at Kenney Askew Memorial Park at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Thursday, Sept. 15.

The improvements were made thanks to a grant received from the Pilgrim’s Hometown Strong initiative. Representatives from Pilgrim’s originally presented a check for $250,000 to the Cherokee Board of Commissioners in the fall of 2020. Coupled with Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds, Cherokee Recreation and Parks was able to invest about $715,000 in park improvements.

“This started as a $250,000 grant opportunity which we applied for and agreed to match the grant funds with additional funding from the SPLOST Tax,” said Cherokee Recreation and Parks Director Jay Worley. “We were so excited to find out that our grant had been accepted. These improvements have attracted new users to the park, and I again want to thank Pilgrim’s for this investment.”

The improvements include adding a walking track (one-third of a mile), picnic pavilion and playground. Existing park features that also received improvements include tennis court resurfacing and the creation of pickleball courts, as well as park landscaping. 

Pilgrim’s, a leading global food company, has seven plants in Georgia including one in Canton. This funding is part of the $20 million the company plans to invest in cities nationwide through an initiative called “Hometown Strong,” which is aimed at making positive community impacts. Nationally, the Hometown Strong initiative is a $20 million investment from Pilgrim’s, which is part of a $100 million nationwide contribution from JBS USA. Visit hometownstrong.jbssa.com to learn more.

“Our hope with this project is that families can continue coming to Kenney Askew Park and the Richard “Hunkey” Mauldin Sports Complex for decades to come while enjoying the park and each other,” said Pilgrim’s Canton Manager Matt Chastain. “Through Hometown Strong, we want to make meaningful impacts in the communities where our team members live and work.”

The Pilgrim facility in Canton employs more than 700 people with an annual payroll of roughly $35 million, paying out more than $17 million each year to local contractors for their chickens, company officials said.