By Valerie Baldowski
vbaldowski@henryherald.com

Government officials want local residents to tell them how best to develop a planned park in McDonough.

“It’s critical that we have community involvement,” said McDonough City Councilmember Sandra Vincent. “This is something that will service the community.”

Residents’ input is needed to provide direction as to how to proceed with the project, she emphasized. Councilmember Vincent, along with District III Henry County Commissioner Randy Stamey, will conduct a community forum on Saturday to discuss what amenities the proposed park should include.

The meeting will be in the cafeteria of Wesley Lakes Elementary School, 685 McDonough Parkway, McDonough, from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

“Ms. Vincent and I have always had a good working relationship,” said Stamey. “We’re trying to take it to the next level to develop a park.”

The park is scheduled for construction on a 24-acre tract of land off Jonesboro Road, next to the Kroger shopping plaza.

Details regarding the costs and starting date for construction are pending, because residents have not provided a clear view of what they want included in the development, said Stamey.

“We’re trying to determine the need in the community,” he said. “It’s a fact-finding mission for us.” He said he and Vincent have collaborated on the idea for a park for the past 18 months.

“This was an old piece of property,” he said. “We bought it from a private developer a couple of years ago.” The purchase was a joint venture between the city and the county, according to Stamey.

Originally, Vincent said, the property was scheduled to become a soccer complex, but the county is currently proposing the installation of an athletic track. The council member said she is requesting programs which better support a community park with elements appealing to seniors, adults, teens, and small children.

The property has a stream running the length of it, and developing a walking trail by the water is one possibility, said Vincent.

She said the idea for a park is a by-product of past discussions among council members. “There is no immediate recreational access for the children who live in this area,” she said. “You have a lot of kids who play in the street. There is a great need for recreational outlets.”

Vincent said, because of the rocky economy, increasing numbers of residents are looking to public parks, which are free, to fill their recreational needs. The more parks a community has, the greater the likelihood residents will use those facilities for exercise and recreational purposes.

Vincent said residents may provide input through her e-mail address: svincent@mcdonough-ga.gov.