Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2008 > August > 19
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Local parks system one of the best
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s one of the nation’s best.
Don’t take my word for it, though. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) a Virginia-based organization that advocates the significance of parks and recreational space says so. NRPA gives an annual award to counties and municipalities that operate top-notch park systems.
Gwinnett, home to 37 parks and aquatics centers that cover more than 8,800 acres, is in the running for the organization’s prestigious Gold Medal Award. Gwinnett is up against Ft. Worth, Baton Rouge and Las Vegas. This marks Gwinnett’s third time being nominated for the honor; the winner will be announced in October, said Marianne O’Riley, NRPA’s awards coordinator.
It’s so easy to criticize government, to lambaste officials for spending - sometimes wasting - taxpayer money. But governments deserve equal praise when they get it right, act on behalf of - and for the good of - the community. Especially in a county like ours, with roughshod development and other contentious factors.
“The rising cost of fuel and the ability to purchase open land at a reasonable price are the two things that are really challenging agencies now,” O’Riley told me. But ” [Gold Medal nominees] always seem to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat.”
In an Aug. 10 Gwinnett News story, Sharon Plunkett, division director of operations for Gwinnett Parks and Recreation, says the county’s stellar parks start with residents. They voted for a recreation tax in 1986 to create a county-wide parks system. A decade later, voters approved a penny sales tax that made it possible to buy land, build parks and trails, athletics fields, community centers, as well as renovate existing green spaces.
It’s been money well spent. Drop by Tribble Mill Park in Grayson or George Pierce Park in Suwanee - two of the more popular locations. Or talk to residents like Jerry Sherill of Norcross. The bailiff for Gwinnett County walks his dog, “Ande,” at Mountain Park Park.
“I think the county parks are a definite asset,” Sherrill, 65, wrote in an e-mail. “They provide ample opportunities for recreation, for exercise, for competition, for group and family gatherings. And they do it in a controlled environment. They also offer a wide range of programs for seniors as well as educational classes.”
A while back, I asked readers whether Gwinnett had an identity, some type of signifier to hang its hat on. Several residents praised the parks network.
If you feel inclined to pooh-pooh the national reputation the county’s park system enjoys, say that our active and passive parks are nothing special, consider this. DeKalb County recently hosted a shindig to mark the opening of Browns Mill Aquatics Center - the county’s very first one.
In Gwinnett, we have five.
Rick Badie updates his blog daily. Readers who want to discuss the people, places, events and topics he writes about may post comments online or contact Badie directly. He can be reached at 770-263-3875 or via e-mail: rbadie@ajc.com.
Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
