Parks Home | Calendar | Facilities | Arts & Cultural Affairs | Athletics - Youth | Athletics - Adult | Aquatics | Golf Gymnastics | Natural Resources | Recreation Centers | Tennis | Therapeutics | Special Events

December 2013

Photo Contest Winners Announced

The 'Fun in the Park' Photo Contest is over for 2013 and once again we had a great response! Over 140 photos were submitted in 3 categories - General category, Nature and Wildlife, and Sports and Action. With so many great photos submitted, the panel of 7 judges had a difficult time selecting the winning photographs. Once the scores were tabulated, the following photographers were selected as the 2013 winners:

The panel of judges were photographers from the Cobb Photographic Society and the Paulding Photography Club. Thanks to all the judges for making the selections from numerous outstanding images, and thanks to all the photographers for their participation! Now it is time to start taking pictures for the 2014 contest!

Tennis Center Honored; Group Raises Money for Charity

Lost Mountain Tennis Center was recently honored by the United States Tennis Association as the Georgia 'Member Organization of the Year'. This award recognizes outstanding services rendered to a USTA member organization in Georgia. Selection is made on the basis of service to the tennis community, service to the organization’s members and service to the game of tennis.

This is the second time Lost Mountain Tennis Center has received the award; the first was in 2004. Traci Thomas has managed this facility since it opened in 2000 and she and her staff are committed to providing quality and diverse programs to the west Cobb community.

In other news, the Lost Mountain Community Tennis Association recently donated nearly $3,000 to the SafePath Advocacy Center. The organization raised the money from the 2013 Halloween Fright Festival Tennis Tourney in October and a silent auction held at Brookstone Country Club. SafePath helps and intervenes with abused and neglected children to educate and stop child abuse.

Recreation Employee Honored by State Organization

Cobb County PARKS employee Wendy Collins recently earned the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association presidential citation, presented during the organization’s annual business meeting. Ms. Collins was head of the 2013 Editorial Committee for GRPA, which publishes the association’s magazine three times a year.

Ms. Collins, who has been a GRPA member for 13 years, was sworn onto the GRPA board of trustees and will serve there for the next two years. She works for Cobb County as a Recreation Coordinator managing Ward Recreation Center. Congratulations to Wendy!!!

SPLOST Projects Update
On March 15, 2011, a referendum on a four-year SPLOST (Special Local Option Sales Tax) was approved by voters. This program, started on January 1, 2012 and will be in effect through December 31, 2015. From this SPLOST, Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs will be utilizing $82,023,000 for revitalization, facility renovations and upgrades to parks and facilities. Planning, coordinating and scheduling projects are in their early stages, but you will now be able to see some of the work in progress or soon to begin. Here is a list of current projects:

• The Kennworth Park and Terrell Mill Park Tennis Center building replacement construction project was awarded to Prime Contractors, Inc. The contract has been executed by the County. The notice to proceed with construction has been issued and construction will begin soon.

• Sutton Architectural Services was awarded the design of the replacement of the tennis center buildings at Fair Oaks Park and Sweetwater Park. The notice to proceed with design has been issued.

• An RFP for the design of the improvements to the Civic Center was recently advertised and proposals were due November 21st. The design will incorporate the recommendations of the infrastructure analysis and recommendations completed earlier this year.

• The replacement of the cross tie retaining walls at Perry Parham Park has been completed by Georgia Development Partners.  In addition, the existing backstop and dug-outs have been demolished and will be rebuilt.

• Interior improvements at Fullers Recreation Center have started and will continue for the next several weeks. The work includes replacement of some interior walls, painting, ceiling tile replacement (work complete), floor tile replacement, new drinking fountains, new toilet partitions, new countertops and sinks in the restrooms, new cabinets and countertops in the kitchen, and replacement of the ice machine. Work previously completed includes caulking control joints in the exterior masonry walls, making roof repairs, replacing gutters and downspouts, and repair of the gym floor.

• The design of improvements at Rhyne Park has been awarded to Wiley Wilson, Inc. The project includes improvements to fields 1 and 2, a new water supply line, replacement of cross tie retaining walls, and improvements to the stream crossing near Field 2.

• Construction of a new splash pad and pool house as well as swimming pool renovations at Sewell Park are moving forward. The new splash pad and concrete coping of the main pool have been poured. Installation of wood roof trusses and roof decking is complete. The project is scheduled to be complete by Memorial Day 2014.

• The construction/redevelopment of Sewell Park contract was awarded to Waterworks Atlanta. Construction is scheduled to start in early 2014. 

• The construction at Harrison Tennis Center is continuing.  Exterior walls are constructed, bond beams have been poured and exterior veneer will begin shortly.  The project is scheduled to be complete in the spring of 2014.

• Croft & Associates was awarded the contract for the design of improvements at Milford Park.

• Design of the improvements at Powder Springs Park is moving forward. Surveying is complete. Wetlands on the property have been assessed and it has been determined that there are substantially more jurisdictional wetlands on the site than originally anticipated.  The Master Plan has been modified to prevent encroachment on the wetlands by shifting the fields, parking, and maintenance building. Preliminary Design plans have been submitted and comments returned.

• The improvements at South Cobb Aquatic Center are complete.  Additional equipment needed to repair the de-humidification unit has been received and installed.  The new marcite pool surface and interior painting is complete. Evacuator bench and exhaust fan installation is complete. The pool has been reopened.
• Permitting is complete and the construction of the buildings along with utility installation at Wallace Park bids November 21st. The construction of the new football field (Field 4) and the maintenance building pad by PARKS staff has begun.  PARKS staff will also reconstruct the two baseball fields in the park.
• Construction activities at West Cobb Aquatic Center are moving forward.  New light fixtures have been installed.  A new PoolPak dehumidification unit has been delivered and the installation and connections have been completed. A notice to proceed has been issued for the replacement of the metal roof and the contractor has submitted shop drawings.  Upon approval of the shop drawings, the delivery of the new roof panels is expected to take 4-6 weeks. A purchase order has been issued for painting the interior of the natatorium and the work is nearing completion. Installation of a new roll-up door for the building is complete. 
• The design of the Wild Horse Creek Park Seasonal Water Feature is underway. Fifty percent construction drawings have been submitted and are currently under review. The project is scheduled to bid in the second quarter of 2014

These are just a few of the numerous projects that you will see in the next few years updating and revitalizing our parks' system. For a complete listing of projects and updates, see the Splost 2011 web page on the Cobb County website.

Silver Comet Trail Bridge Sections Under Repair
Six pedestrian bridges along Cobb County’s 12.8-mile Silver Comet Trail will be closed to the public this winter while Cobb County Department of Transportation (CCDOT) crews repair or replace pedestrian bridge ends over Powder Springs Creek, Lucille Creek, Noses Creek, Olley Creek, Nickajack Creek and Cooper Lake Road.

The repair work, funded by the 2011 SPLOST, will result in consecutive closures of each pedestrian bridge from January to April 2014, resulting in NO ACCESS and NO DETOURS across the bridges during construction. At the same time the pedestrian bridge work is being conducted, additional crews will be improving other areas along the Silver Comet Trail by repairing fences, drainage systems and grading.

“The repairs will preserve the original historic pedestrian bridges,” says Faye DiMassimo, Director of Cobb County Department of Transportation. “Once the work is completed, the pedestrian bridges will be reopened providing safe access to all who enjoy using them.”

Cobb County officials strongly advise the public to pay close attention to all warning signs and stay out of CLOSED construction zones, as there will be severe drop offs, some as deep as ten feet, which could cause serious injury or death to anyone ignoring the posted warnings.

Not every area under construction will be completely closed off to the public. CCDOT officials warn trail users to slow down when approaching all signs, and in areas not completely closed, and for bike users, be prepared to dismount and walk through.

More work will be conducted on the trail next spring where a rolling trail closure will occur as the entire Silver Comet trail is resurfaced. The combined projects will result in the Cobb County Silver Comet Trail looking like a new trail.

Built between 1890 and 1904, the 61.5-mile Silver Comet Trail follows the abandoned railroad line once traveled by Silver Comet train passengers traveling from Atlanta and Birmingham to New York, Philadelphia and Washington. CCDOT converted the trail into a scenic 12.8 mile paved multi-use trail in the 1990’s. The County section of the trail begins in Smyrna and travels west through southern parts of the County.

Information and project updates will be posted at www.cobbdot.org or contact the project manager at james.hudgins@cobbcounty.org.