Published: September 06, 2008 10:27 pm      

Suggestions for parks in south Whitfield

The proposed Whitfield County recreation master plan, prepared by Atlanta-based engineering firm MACTEC, breaks the county’s recreation needs and assessments down by individual parks and areas. One goal in the plan is to have parks easily accessible to residents in every area of Whitfield County.

Dug Gap Park and Valley Point Park are the existing facilities in the southern part of the county. The following is what each park already offers and the improvements suggested in the master plan. With the collaboration of the Whitfield County School District, improvements can be completed at Dug Gap and Valley Point Parks.

Dug Gap Park

Existing: A 20-acre community park on Dug Gap Road, on the Dug Gap Park Elementary School site. It has three lighted baseball fields, two playground areas, two tennis courts, a walking trail, picnic pavilion and basketball court. In the front area of the school campus is one of the large playgrounds with new, age-specific equipment and various individual playground equipment pieces.

Suggested improvements: Re-pave/refurbish baseball fields concession areas; build more trails; refurbish tennis courts; refurbish small playground area (south of school), add new/more playground equipment, add surface material and edge restraint; pursue a shared use agreement with church across Dug Gap Road to provide additional parking; build a pedestrian cross-walk across Dug Gap Road.

Valley Point Park

Existing: A 40-acre community park on South Dixie Highway within the Valley Point School campus. The park contains a lighted baseball/softball field, a lighted Little League field, two lighted tennis courts and a football/soccer field with field house. The school gymnasium is available for shared use with county residents.

The main baseball field is within a larger area that contains a concession/restroom building, bleachers, a small-shaded playground, picnic shelter, picnic tables and a barbecue pit. A walking trail, a third lighted baseball field and a large playground are also on the campus.

Suggested improvements: Refurbish concession building; improve drainage at northeast corner of football field; refurbish tennis courts; improve shoulder and construct guardrail along road adjacent to Little League field; re-roof picnic shelter; refurbish scoreboard and scorer’s booth at Little League field; plant shade trees in open areas; extend walking trail to connect with elementary school playground; consider converting baseball/softball field No. 3 to practice field.