Augusta to receive $5.5 million in grant funds to improve recreational opportunities for Augustans

Augusta

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp awarded $3.8 million to the Augusta Parks and Recreation Department from the Improving Neighborhood Outcomes in Disproportionally Impacted Communities grant for two park improvement projects:

Boykin Road Park - $1,669,031 will be used to revitalize Boykin Road Park in the Dallas Heights subdivision from an athletic park to a passive park. Features include comfort stations, picnic shelters, a walking track, a sustainable playground with an interactive water feature, new lighting, and a community garden with outdoor fitness equipment for seniors. Those improvements will provide opportunities for children, adults, and seniors to play and exercise together, enjoy the outdoors, and gather with community members.

May Park - $2,200,000 will be used to add additional parking, a picnic shelter, seating, and a walking track, replace the old comfort station, tennis and basketball courts, and the grills. In addition, the awarded grant funding allows for improvements inside the community center. These improvements include renovations to the restrooms, locker rooms and steam rooms. These upgrades will make the community center more attractive for group exercise.

“We are in the middle of construction of the new Henry Brigham Community Center, just finished improvements to Jamestown Park, and replaced the playground at the community center in Blythe; we will begin improvements at Fleming Park and Dyess Park shortly and now we can add two more projects that will benefit our entire community” says Maurice McDowell, Director of the Parks & Recreation Department.

In addition to the two park improvement projects, the City of Augusta is also receiving $1,766,336 in grant funds to bridge recreation and commerce in Downtown Augusta. The Jones Street Alley project will create a direct connec-

(At Right) May Park - $2,200,000 will be used to add additional parking, a picnic shelter, seating, and a walking track, replace the old comfort station, tennis and basketball courts, and the grills tion between Jones Street and the Augusta Common. Added sidewalks and alley space will provide opportunities for more community events and improve foot traffic between the central business district, the convention center, and the Augusta Common. This is a collaborative project between the City of Augusta, the

Downtown Development Authority of Augusta, Cranston Engineering, and private property owners.

Interim Administrator Douse stated, “Augusta appreciates the funding and confidence Governor Kemp has invested in our community, we will make certain the projects are reflective of such.”