Parks and recreation programs ready for warm weather.

By Joan Durbin
Neighbor Newspapers

With warmer weather gradually taking hold, now is the time to take advantage of the numerous recreational opportunities offered by north Fulton municipalities.

Of special interest are some of the cities’ newest projects and facilities.

“We are getting ready to begin renovation of the Bethwell Community Center,” said Milton’s director of Parks and Recreation, Cyndee Bonacci. “This is a building built in the early 1950s that has been used over the years for community gatherings, meetings, family functions and programs.”

The renovation project to the 1,300-square-foot building on Hopewell Road should be awarded in early April and should be complete by late May, Bonacci said.

The city is negotiating agreements with the county Board of Education to allow scheduled use of Hopewell Middle School, Birmingham Falls Elementary and Cogburn Woods Elementary for parks and recreation programs and activities.

The city is working on an agreement to develop a two-acre city park on school-owned land between Crabapple Crossing Elementary and Northwestern Middle School. This park will be used by the schools during the school day and be available to the public outside of school hours. The park will be maintained by the City of Milton.

The city also recently purchased a one-acre parcel at the corner of Deerfield Parkway and Webb Road for a pocket park. Other upcoming capital improvements include additional Bell Memorial Park improvements and trail implementation.

In Alpharetta, a Wills Park baseball field and a multi-purpose field at North Park are being transformed into synthetic turf fields.

“Wills Park Youth Baseball Association is planning opening day festivities on March 26 to celebrate the opening of the new field,” said Lisa Cherry, deputy director of Alpharetta recreation and parks.

During the winter, the disc golf course at Wills Park was redesigned to enhance course playability and provide a safer environment for all park users.

“It has been a big hit with disc golf players,” Cherry said.

Construction on an .8-mile extension on the north end of Big Creek Greenway continues, Cherry said, and it may be open by summer. The trail will extend from Webb Bridge Road north to Marconi Drive off of Windward Parkway.

One of the most popular recreational features in Roswell, the Riverside Park Sprayground, had more than 40,000 visits last year.

“So we constructed another sprayground at East Roswell Park. Both will open Memorial Day weekend,” said Bobbie Daniels, public relations coordinator for the Recreation and Parks department.

The Roswell Alpharetta Mountain Bike Association has constructed pump tracks at Big Creek Park.

Additionally, an outdoor sand volleyball court has been built off Riverside Road along the Riverwalk.