Kay Harris
The Valdosta Daily Times
VALDOSTA —
The Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority approved an extensive list of park improvements at its meeting Thursday.
The list includes improvements at nearly a dozen parks, such as batting cages and tennis courts at South Lowndes, new playground equipment at Clyattville and the Library Park, a picnic shelter and tables at Langdale Park, and many more improvements for a total cost of $849,675. These improvements are already budgeted and, with the board’s approval, will begin immediately.
The board also discussed the soccer complex that the county budgeted $4 million for from SPLOST VI. A deal to acquire land in South Lowndes fell through, but Chairman Russ Mast said the county is close to having land donated for the complex which will be adjacent to Langdale Park.
Board member and City Councilman Robert Yost suggested that the board consider purchasing some of the former Bray land on Perimeter Road that the city of Valdosta bought at an auction several years ago.
Mast and other board members agreed to continue working with the county on the other land, since, as Paige Dukes of Lowndes County stated, “We don’t have enough money set aside to pay the city for the land. All the money is needed to build the complex.”
Facilities Chairman Mike McDowell, in response to a question from Yost about why the Bray property was not as suitable, said the extensive power lines running directly through the property were an undesirable hindrance.
“We already have enough problems with the power lines through Freedom Park and all the things we can’t do there because of them,” McDowell said. “We need to be able to build a soccer complex with lights and all that without having to worry about it.” In other business, attorney Gary Moser said he and the facilities committee were finalizing the directives for the board on the proper use of the parks.
“First and foremost, consideration should be given to the Parks and Rec Authority and their events, and then non-profits are next, followed by families wanting to have birthday parties, etc.,” Moser said, adding that for-profit business usage leads the Authority down a slippery slope.
“We can endanger our non-profit status and our sovereign immunity status, which keeps us from being sued in civil actions,” said Moser. “All contracts with for-profit businesses must be reviewed by the attorney and voted on by the board.”
McDowell said the members of the board would receive a copy of the new guidelines for comment and adoption once the committee approves them.
