The Warner Robins Recreation Department is continuing its effort to improve and make changes to parks and recreation facilities across the city, including adding some new ones.
The newest addition is going to be called the 'Walk at Sandy Run' and it'll be nestled right between a new apartment complex and Sandy Run Creek.
The apartment complex and park sit right off South Houston Lake Road.
The park will cost $1.2 million and take visitors along the creek.
Kary Shumate has lived on that side of town for 25 years and was excited to hear about the project.
“That's awesome! That is awesome. Spend all that money here in our community and our city and we have new apartments that just opened up here and our church and that is just awesome that the city would do this,” Shumate told WMAZ.
His church, Sandy Valley Baptist Church, sits right across from a new apartment complex and the future park site.
Other members of the church said they were happy about the project.
The city's development authority and Lanson Developments, LLC donated 11.85 acres to the city for the park. The Warner Robins Recreation Department then purchased an additional four acres for a parking lot.
Recreation director Jarred Reneau says it was a welcome opportunity.
“There's no parks on the west side of town. And that's always been needed, citizens have said they wanted parks over there, and the growth is growing that way as well. So, we needed to put a park over there,” Reneau said at his office on Tuesday.
Right now, the closest park is Tanner Park.
“If you walked over there, you'd have to rest before you could walk back!” Shumate said while laughing.
Tanner starts its own football and track renovations in March.
At Sandy Run, Reneau says they want to put in a wide walking path, an overlook of the creek, and playgrounds for families.
They expect dirt to start moving in July.
But for Shumate, he thinks this is just the start.
“This is an incentive for others to come into this area. And it should be just a boost for our economy,” he said.
Sandy Run and Tanner are just part of the blitz to improve the city's parks.
As WMAZ has reported in the past, plans are 50 percent done for Memorial and Deloris Toliver renovations, Simpson park is currently undergoing renovations, and final schematics for the sports complex on North Houston are expected in June.
The city also partnered with the Houston County Board of Education for a 15 to 20 court tennis facility.
They also made improvements to Fountain Park pool and opened Wellston Park last year. Renovations to Ada Lee Park finished in the fall of 2017.