HOMER - With an air of celebration and some sawdust flakes in the air, Banks County officials gathered this week to break ground on a landmark recreation complex for the county.
Located behind the existing ballfields on Thompson Street, the new Windmill Park Sports Complex will feature four baseball fields, batting cages, a central concession stand/restroom building, a playground and 1.5 miles of paved walking trails.
County Coordinator Jason Hensley, who has led the planning effort, says the facility is the largest project for Banks County in at least two decades.
"The is a great day - a red letter day - for Banks County, in our opinion," Hensley said.
He praised the Banks County Commission for voting to construct the park.
"Without those folks, this wouldn't be taking place," Hensley said. "Those five men voted this in. Thank you."
Hensley pointed out property taxes will not be used in the $3.2-million project, but rather it will be built with Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax money.
"All of this park here is going to be built out of SPLOST money," Hensley said. "It's that one-penny tax - it's all SPLOST funded. It's not funded by your taxes ... this is all funded by SPLOST money. Everybody that comes in is going to help fund this project."
Members of the planning and design committee include Hensley, Chad Cotton, Rob Mabry, Commissioner Charles Turk, and Commissioner Danny Maxwell.
"We got it to where the county could afford it and get this project done," Hensley said.
Following the ceremony, Hensley explained the importance of the project.
"This complex has been a long time coming," Hensley said. "This is probably the biggest project that has hit in the county in over 20 years. The county is very excited about it. We've got stuff here for the kids up to the adults. Between the complex, the walking trails, the playground, we've got stuff here for everybody."
The complex will include three 220-foot fields and one 300-foot field, all sodded and irrigated, with a specially-commissioned infield mix. Residents soon will be able to keep up with construction progress via a time-lapse camera on the county's website.
Hensley said once the complex is complete Banks County wants to invite teams from other areas to hold tournaments at the park.
Banks County Economic Development Director Brad Day said the finished recreational complex will have a positive impact on the county's economy.
"Right now we have almost 1,000 hotel rooms in the county - in Banks County," Day said. "A lot of those rooms go unrented on the weekends. We think projects like this are going to help fill those empty hotel rooms. When you fill those empty hotel rooms, folks stay and they eat and they play here and they spend their money."
