MORGANTON, N.C. (WHKY) — Burkemont Baptist Church will celebrate the completion of a new family recreation area designed to give church members and the wider community a safe place to gather and play.

The swing park is named Tiffany’s Place in memory of Tiffany Lynn Carswell, a local teenager who died in 1997 at age 16.

Public burial records show Carswell was born March 21, 1981, and died August 2, 1997. She is buried at Burkemont Baptist Church Cemetery. Her connection to the church continued to be recognized years after her death. A Burkemont Baptist bulletin published in August 2014 included a memorial bearing her name and life dates, prepared by Cari Leonard and Nicole Slagle.

A response on the Burke County Chamber of Commerce’s announcement for the new park also identifies Tiffany Carswell as its namesake. Publicly available church and historical records do not explain the circumstances of her death or provide additional details about the decision to name the swing park for her.

The project includes the BBC Family Park, Tiffany’s Place Swing Park and new restroom facilities. Church officials said the space was created through the hard work and sacrificial giving of supporters, with the goal of providing a welcoming place for church families and the community.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Burkemont Baptist Church, 4668 Burkemont Road in Morganton. The event is free and open to the public.