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$1.6 million multi-purpose youth park in west Macon under construction

Construction continued over the weekend for a multi-purpose youth park set to open this spring in west Macon.

MACON, Ga. — A few kids in west Macon say they can't wait for a new park off Anthony Road to open up. 

Brandon Willis, TJ Tharpe, and Nadavid Goodsby are all students at Ballard-Hudson Middle School who play multiple sports.

"I play baseball, football, and basketball," Willis said.

They all agree that practicing at various places across Macon isn't easy.

"Memorial Gym, Unionville Gym, stuff like that," Tharpe said.

For the three boys, the new $1.6 million facility on Anthony Road is within walking distance and much more convenient for them.

"Say if you go somewhere to practice, you don't have to go anywhere, you can just come right here. It's faster," Tharpe said.

Willis agrees.

"It's in walking distance. We can get more practice and get better," Willis said.

Jeff Battcher with Macon Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities is just one person responsible for this field getting built. He says it's a project that's been five years in the making.

"We started the Macon RBI program with kids playing, then in some meetings and conversations with Major League Baseball, I learned about the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation," he said.

The field is primarily a baseball and softball diamond with movable bases for kids of all ages, but Battcher says it's also much more.

"It's also gonna be lined for soccer and lacrosse, so it's going to be a true youth development park. We're going to have flag football here, a lot of former NFL players have already contacted me about coming out and doing camps over the summer," he said.

Next, Battcher says synthetic turf needs to be laid down, and he's hoping for it to be done in March. 

For Willis, he can't wait to get started.  When asked, he says he'll be here "seven days a week."

Battcher says once the field is complete, his next goal is to get lights installed for night games and packages.

RELATED: New fields, programs coming to Tom Fontaine Park in west Macon

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