The roads are graded, the pavilion is finished and the hillsides have been seeded with grass. Now, all that's needed before Sims Lake Park can open to the public later this summer is a few more weeks of work. And continuing good weather.

The newest addition to Suwanee's parks system is designed to be "a place that's peaceful, a place where you can take it easy," Pat Montgomery said. She was one of several city residents who spent two years helping planners design the 62-acre park.

The land was owned by the late Rae Hewell, a Lawrenceville native and a co-founder of Peachtree Windows and Doors who died in 2003. The city bought Hewell's property for $3.3 million. His Asian-style house was razed and its eclectic contents sold at auction last summer, netting the city $45,995.

The focus of the park is a 7.5-acre lake, full of fish. The shores of the lake are eroding, so fishing isn't allowed. Geysers are being built into the water to help aerate the lake.

"The main thing we wanted to do was to maintain the integrity of the property," Montgomery said. "It's not going to be a huge community gathering place like Town Center is. It'll be more reflective and relaxing."

A 1.5-mile walking trail will circle the lake. Near a pavilion, space has been set aside for a playground with different age-appropriate playscapes, including a ropes-and-rocks course for children aged 10 and older.

The pavilion has four picnic tables, and other tables are scattered throughout the park. The pavilion is available on a first-come, first-served basis, unless it is reserved. There are meadows for flying kites and watching clouds.

One cool —- literally —- feature is a walkable waterway. Fed by a well, it runs through the center of the land and ends in the lake. It's not just a trickle of cool water, it's a meandering streamscape, lined and walled with rock.

Children, and adults, will be allowed to walk and play in the running water. On either side of the streamscape at the lake are stairs for sitting.

"We are well-served by Gwinnett County when it comes to active recreational facilities," said Marty Allen, Suwanee's city manager. "Back in 2000, when we did a needs assessment, we found there was a need for open space and passive parks. Our parks program has meshed well with Gwinnett County's."

In keeping with Suwanee's focus on inter-connectivity, long-term plans for the park include building a path to Moore Road along a sewer easement. Also on tap will be an additional trail loop, a children's discovery trail, more parking and space for lawn sports such as shuffleboard and bocce.

The planning and construction costs for the first phase of the park total $2.5 million. That money is the last chunk of $17.7 million the city obtained by issuing bonds in 2002 specifically to buy open space and create parks. Voters overwhelmingly passed the bond referendum in 2001.

In addition to the first phase of Sims Lake Park, the bond money has funded the creation of three city parks, Town Center, Suwanee Creek and Playtown Suwanee, and a 3-mile extension of the Suwanee Creek Greenway.

 DALE E. DODSON / Staff
Sims Lake Park
Map locates features of new recreation area: Paved trail, Children's discovery trail, Outdoor classroom/picnic node, Picnic shelter/area and Water feature.
 
Other points include: Natural areas, Turf play meadow, Historic trail remnant and Cemetary.

Inset maps show areas of detail.  
Source: Cerulea Inc.