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Metro Atlanta

Cherokee County breaks ground on recreation center to be completed in late 2022

Cherokee County officials shovel the first bit of dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 9 for the construction of the new L.B. Ahrens Recreation Center at Cherokee Veterans Park. CONTRIBUTED
Cherokee County officials shovel the first bit of dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 9 for the construction of the new L.B. Ahrens Recreation Center at Cherokee Veterans Park. CONTRIBUTED
By J.J. Smith for the AJC
Sept 13, 2021

Cherokee County officials and residents gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 9 for the construction of the new L.B. Ahrens Recreation Center to build at Cherokee Veterans Park, according to a press release.

The Board approved the construction contract on July 20 to Reeves Young, LLC for $10.4 million and an additional $1.58 million in a county-controlled contingency.

The first phase of the recreation center, known in short as “The Buzz” in honor of former Commission Chairman L.B. “Buzz” Ahrens, includes a double gym, open fitness area, climbing wall, two classrooms, aerobics/dance studio, a large meeting hall with catering kitchen and an office suite along with accompanying restrooms, mechanical, electrical and storage areas. The construction services contract also includes a secondary parking lot, pedestrian crossing to the park playground and infrastructure for EV charging stations.

Construction is expected to last 15 months with an anticipated opening in late 2022.

About the Author

J.J. Smith for the AJC
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