Within the

next two years, Coweta County residents should be able to

enjoy a new state park on the banks of the Chattahoochee

River.

The

proposed park is located along the Coweta-Heard County

border and consists of 1,100 acres. According to County

Commissioner Jim McGuffey, the park is located along a

seven-mile stretch of the river, directly across from the

McIntosh Reserve park in Carroll County.

"This

is an absolutely wonderful addition to Coweta County and

it will pay great dividends to the county," McGuffey

said.

Most of the

property is owned by the Nature Conservancy and officials

there expect to acquire the rest of the property within

the next few months.

The park,

dubbed the Chattahoochee Bend State Park, is the first

part of an ambitious plan by the state to create a series

of parks along the riverbank from north Georgia to

Columbus.

Officials

said activities at the park will include canoeing,

camping and fishing, along with a series of trails and

interpretive centers.