Decatur is planning early next week to announce a contractor for work at the city’s two oldest parks, McKoy and Oakhurst. Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon said he anticipates work should commence shortly after Labor Day.

Park users have requested these projects for years. They include building new picnic pavilions at each park, rebuilding the concession stands at each and building new bathrooms that can be used year around at both.

Saxon said that Oakhurst activities, including its busy fall softball season, will continue through construction. McKoy’s baseball field, however, will close during the fall and reopen late winter. Both parks will provide temporary bathrooms during construction.

The work should last roughly six months.

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Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)