Brothers Bolen and Tom Holman display the history of Holman Mule Barn and Holman Supply Company at their current location. Bolen Holman is pointing at a photo of the mule barn that sat on Second Street where Mule Barn Park is now located.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Downtown groups are preparing to celebrate the second completed project of a multi-year renovation plan.

The public is invited to a ribbon cutting for Mule Barn Park at 11 a.m. Friday.

The park, located on Second Street at East Central Avenue, gets its name from the Holman Mule Barn, which began as a mule and horse company at the site in 1920.

Holman Mule Barn operated until the 1950s, when it evolved into a building materials supply business, Holman Supply Company. The company later moved to a new location where it continues to be operated today by Bolen and Tom Holman.

The area of the old mule barn deteriorated, though. Prior to the renovation it contained unsightly above ground utilities, debris, trash and blighted backs of buildings, subgrade issues and drainage issues.

Three years ago, a strategic planning session of the Downtown Development Authority, the Downtown Moultrie Association and Downtown Moultrie Tomorrow Inc. identified several needed enhancements and projects to improve downtown. The parking lot where the mule barn had once stood was No. 2 on the schedule.

The first completed project was Moultrie’s first pocket park, located on the corner of Second Avenue and First Street Southeast. A dedication was held Aug. 31, 2017, but the park had been open for some time before then.

Officials then turned their attention to the future Mule Barn Park, and a groundbreaking was held Jan. 13 of this year.

The City of Moultrie, Colquitt County and adjoining property owners worked together to update the area with lighting, trees and plants, sidewalk improvements, and seating walls.  

“Mule Barn Park is a great addition to our downtown, enhancing its vitality and beauty. It will be enjoyed by many people for years to come,” commented Mayor Bill McIntosh.

Other identified downtown projects include:

• Sportsman’s Park, a walk-through park located at the site of the Sportsman’s Building that will connect First Street with a newly renovated parking area off Second Avenue South.

• The addition of a security camera network in the downtown area to deter crime and offer increased security. Engineering of the camera network is under way.

• The acquisition and renovation of a new Downtown Promotion and Welcome Center that will include centralized public restrooms, meeting space, and offices. Through private donated funds, Downtown Moultrie Tomorrow Inc. is in development stages on this project.

• The stabilization of the deteriorating former Treasure Chest building located on East Central Avenue. The building was recently donated to the Downtown Development Authority. Once the building is cleaned up and stabilized with a new roof, the DDA will work with a developer to renovate the property adding lofts and commercial space.

“Enhancing our downtown is important to the stability and growth of the entire community,” said Amy H. Johnson, City of Moultrie downtown economic development and public relations director.