WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — After months of work, Tanner Park in Warner Robins is nearly ready to re-open.
Mayor Randy Toms cited it at Monday night's council meeting as an example of the city's ongoing recreation projects.
"After 40 years, by my calculations, of no money spent on our youth through parks and recreation in this community, [we're now] spending in the neighborhood of $22 million to upgrade our parks and facilities," said Toms.
Warner Robins City Parks and Recreation Department Director Jarred Reneau said the renovations to Tanner Park cost about $3.5 million. According to Reneau, the funds came from the city's 2012 SPLOST.
The work began in March of 2018 and is now almost finished.
Recreation football coaches like Brian Holder are excited to get onto the new fields.
"You can go all the way around the world," he said. "You ain't gonna find many facilities like this."
Holder grew up playing football at Tanner Park as a child, but the new facility will look a whole lot different.
Reneau says--among other features--the newly renovated Tanner Park will have a new track, an outdoor basketball court, a horseshoes pit and four football fields. Three of the fields are lighted.
"I said from day one that the most important thing is for us to be able to have things for the kids to do to keep them involved, keep them active, I think it's just a healthy lifestyle," said Reneau.
As for Holder, he's looking forward to watching his athletes compete at the new facility.
"(When) they get out here and see all the big lights, that's what football is all about," he said. "The big lights and the hard hits... you can't get any better than this."
Reneau said that three other city projects are also underway.
A new gymnasium, police precinct and office space are being built at Doloris Toliver Park. He estimated the cost at more than $2.4 million and said he expects the facility to open around April 2019.
A 22-court tennis complex, a joint venture with the Houston County Board of Education, is slated to open this summer near Freedom Field. The City of Warner Robins and the school district each put $1.75 million toward the project.
The Walk at Sandy Run, a large walking trail and outdoor space, is expected to open in May 2019. It's expected to cost about $1.65 million.