Park plans are revised

Columbia County officials presented a revised plan last week for Evans Town Center Park.

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Initially, officials had considered developing just one-third of the 17-acre park in the first phase. Unhappy with that, the county commission asked that a new plan be devised that included upgrades across the entire park for phase one.

Some of the changes presented Thursday by the Evans Town Center Park Committee included expanding a large open field on the southern portion of the park by an acre, adding a dog park, moving a stage from the west side of the park to the east side, and construction of a zero-depth water fountain about four-times the size of a similar fountain behind the Columbia County Library.

Cut from the plans were one restroom facility and a picnic area.

Though construction of the first phase only received $1.7 million in funding from a bond issued earlier this year, the construction as outlined Thursday will cost about $3 million, said county Community and Leisure Services Director Barry Smith.

Smith said he hopes to work the with the commission to identify another $1 million funding source to complete the phase as drawn.

Officials did save about $1 million in grading costs by working with the natural topography of the site, but more is needed, Smith said.

The commission probably will review the revised design next month. If it approves the redesign, Smith said, work on the park might start by November and finish by July 2010.

Some work on the park started when Augusta-based Bartlett Tree Experts cleared away trees and brush from a row of trees along Evans Town Center Boulevard.