Wednesday, September 3, 2003
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Wednesday, September 3, 2003 |
Fayette near adoption of 15-year recreation planBy JOHN
MUNFORD
With a little tweaking left to do, Fayette County is about to have its long-anticipated, long-term recreation plan. A needs assessment has been conducted by Robert and Company to determine the county's needs in the coming years. The plan calls for an estimated $19.2 million in projects between 2005 and 2020. The report was discussed at last week's county commission meeting, but was ultimately tabled after several concerns from Commissioner Peter Pfeifer. Commissioner Linda Wells and Chairman Greg Dunn said they want the plan to be adopted quickly so the county can begin addressing the lack of recreation areas seen in north Fayette County. Pfeifer said he would not approve the plan as written since it indicated little need for additional facilities in the Peachtree City area. Citizens there pay county taxes also, he pointed out, adding that there are several "great" features of the plan. Dunn said the plan doesn't focus on recreation needs for Peachtree City since it already has a large number of facilities operated by the city. In contrast, the northern part of Fayette County has little in the way of any recreation facilities, Dunn added. Pfiefer also said the county should be conservative in building special recreation amenities such as horseshoe and handball courts to make sure they are well-used before more are built. Dunn said the plan was a work in progress and not set in stone as the commission can choose which projects to fund during the budget process each year. With the county's population growing, one strong need will be for another indoor swimming pool facility to complement the Kedron Aquatic Center in Peachtree City, the report states. Dunn pointed out that the YMCA has plans to build such a facility that could meet the county's future needs. The study also calls for two more soccer fields, six more baseball fields and two softball fields between 2005 and 2020. There is also a need for 19 more playgrounds and 40 picnic pavilions, according to the study. The County Commission is expected to further discuss the recreation plan today at its 3:30 p.m. meeting.
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