A rendering of an aerial view of Griner Park, complete with a grassy knoll and interactive wall.

VALDOSTA – Downtown Valdosta will receive another facelift in the form of Griner Park, a property at the corner of Webster Street and North Ashley Street.

The Lowndes County Commission inked a deal with the Rountree Construction Company for $2,542,586 to begin work on the interactive park.

Rachel Thrasher, community development director, first presented a rendering of the park’s plans at the commissioners May 10 regular meeting. The design’s main objectives are to improve parking, improve aesthetics, add green space and event space, and increase security for the Lowndes County Judicial and Administrative Complex.

Thrasher described it as a multifunctional space that will engage members of the community through social media usage.

Chad McLeod, the county’s director of engineering services, confirmed to Commissioner Demarcus Marshall that the project’s timeframe would be 270 days.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker requested to hold off on the project as it wasn’t a “top priority” and the $2.5 million could be used for other projects.

“If we wait it out, I feel like maybe we would have more than one bid,” he said.

Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter pointed out that if the $2.5 million went elsewhere, then there would be no money to use on Griner Park. Wisenbaker restated his stance, saying this type of project had no “sense of urgency.”

The commission went ahead and approved the bid, with Wisenbaker being the sole holdout.