In honor of its visionary, Powder Springs Mayor Al Thurman, now the city’s new downtown park is known as Thurman Springs Park.
After the City Council voted 5-0 on Oct. 5 to officially approve the name of this park in Thurman’s honor, the mayor said, “I just want to take the opportunity to thank this Council. I want to thank all of the citizens of Powder Springs who participated in surveys. I want to thank all of the staff for honoring me by naming the park Thurman Springs Park.”
Thurman continued, “I’m just overwhelmed. It certainly means a lot to me and my family. I didn’t really expect it or see it coming, but I do want you all to know how much I appreciate that and how much that means to me and my family. Thank you so very much. I appreciate it.”
The $4.052 million park at 4485 Pineview Drive had its soft opening on Sept. 23 with a brief ceremony, involving Thurman, the City Council and Jeff Crowder, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Besides thanking the City Council, city officials, consultants and his wife, Thurman said, “I also want to give honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Thurman said this park has been “on the drawing board for more than three decades” to “drive downtown development.”
With this park, Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman Henry Lust said Powder Springs has the best access to the Silver Comet Trail in Cobb County, according to experts.
The grand opening will be next spring although the community is invited to enjoy the park now with limitations such as having to wear masks since the park is on city property.
Crowder said, “I can assure you this park will be around a lot longer than COVID-19. In 2021, there will be the Bring the Sea to the Springs Seafood Festival May 14-16, Juneteenth on June 19, the Fourth of July celebration, a monthly concert series, exercise classes, trivia nights and the splash pad in use from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.”
In an email to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, City Manager Pam Conner wrote that the park use is limited to daylight hours with no large groups.
“The main reason for doing the soft opening is so that the public knows that they can now use it. The council wanted the public to be able to enjoy it during the good weather months,” Conner said.
“A big crowd celebration is planned for 2021 after we get on the other side of the pandemic,” she added.
Information: facebook.com/CityOfPowderSprings/videos, youtu.be/Elc__DCiVvg, CityOfPowderSprings.org, vidtvo.PowderSpringsLive.com
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