After last week's acceptance

of a recreation needs assessment plan by the Fayette County Commission,

many residents are wondering when they will see new facilities popping

up on the landscape and how they will be funded.

The details of the $19 million

plan are in a hefty 65-page document prepared for the county by consulting

group Robert and Company.

Leafing through the pages,

you get a sense of where the county wants to head with its recreation

programs for the next 20 years.

But as Commissioner Greg Dunn

said last Wednesday when the County Commission approved it 4-1, "it's

only a plan, and I'm sure some things will be shifted around.

The dissenting vote came from

Commissioner Peter Pfeifer, who said he liked much of the plan, but had

a few problems.

"I just cannot vote for

a plan that says our service area is 61 percent of our population,"

he said.

The plan did not address recreation

efforts in Peachtree City or Tyrone, which have their own recreation departments.

"I can't stop this plan,

nor do I want to. What I can do is to work in the future to modify this

plan, to help shape it as it moves forward to better meet the needs and

address the shortcomings that I see," Pfeifer said.

Included in the recommendations

for recreation facilities are:

209 acres of additional park

space at the cost of $4.18 million.

Two new aquatic centers, which

would feature seven-lane lap pools. The study says the county already

needs a center now, and anticipates another aquatic center for the growing

population. Each center would cost $1.7 million.

Additional bike and nature

trails. The study recommends building 14 miles of trials with a total

cost of $1.47 million.

Horseshoe courts spread throughout

the county. By the year 2020, the study estimates the county will need

47 courts costing $1,500 each.

More picnic areas for families

to enjoy the outdoors. 41 additional picnic areas, with a price tag of

$8,000 each, are recommended.

The study also recommends some

interesting options for funding the projects. Federal funding choices

include, community development block grants, Intermodal Surface Transportation

Efficiency Act and grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

If the county wants to fund

the projects on a local level, the study offers five solutions.

The general fund, which is

how the county currently funds recreation needs.

A Special Purpose Local Option

Sales Tax. The additional penny sales tax could be used to fund part of

the program, but not any ongoing maintenance projects.

Dedicated millage. If the

county raised the millage rate by one mill, more than $3.8 million a year

would be raised for recreation, the study estimated.

Bond referendums. Traditionally,

these have not been successful for recreation issues.

Public and private partnerships.

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