VALDOSTA — A soccer facility in Valdosta and Lowndes County is still a hot topic with the community and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority board members.

Lowndes County Manager Joe Pritchard, an Authority board member, reported the possibility of a soccer facility in the August session, but this time a member of the community came forward to speak to the board.

Rex Haun with the South Georgia United Soccer Club spoke to the board about the need for a soccer facility in the city.

According to Haun, there are 400 kids in their recreation program that use Freedom Park and 200 or more using the North Lowndes Recreation Complex practice facility.

Haun told the board that soccer in the community is growing. Both Moody Air Force Base and the Boys & Girls Club of Valdosta have joined SGUSC and they play home games in Tifton.

“We would love to see it happen,” Haun told the board. “We would love to see it happen for the community.”

“It’s kind of sad that we travel around the state, particularly smaller towns in Georgia that have a soccer complex,” Haun added. “The city has land, and I would love to see the politics come together and get it done.”

Parks and Rec chairman Russell Mast told Haun and the rest of the board that the soccer facility is something that they have been talking about for a while.

“There’s county manager, city manager and several other board members have been working behind the scenes to move forward with this project,” VLPRA director George Page said. “I will tell you it is a priority. We are just making sure what is best for the community 20 years from now.”

Mast also said that the soccer facility is the board’s number one priority.

In other news:

— The criminal background check discussion that was brought up in the August session of the meeting is still in progress. They have received packet forms for the background checks, and according to board member Suzann Price, they hope to have it in place soon.

— Don Richardson, facilities supervisor, was recognized as Employee of the Quarter.

— The pavilion at Clyattville Park is completed.

— Bids were accepted and approved and work began on Sept. 19 at Naylor Park.

— The National Parks and Recreation Convention will be taking place in Atlanta on Nov. 1-3. According to Page, there are already five or six staff members planning to go.

— The asphalt, pavement and track at Riley-Ledford Park is being processed currently.

— Valdosta State University Homecoming was brought up when board member J.C. Cunningham asked whether people are being charged when they set up booths for Homecoming in Drexel Park.

According to Page, there are two people who already have sections of the park rented for Homecoming and board members discussed consistency. Page said he would find history on what has previously been done.