Residents in Bryan County are still coping with the aftermath from a tornado seven months ago that left one person dead. Cleanup crews have worked tirelessly to pick up debris around subdivisions.
One place that will need a complete remodel is Hendrix Park.
Ball fields and the recreation center were ravaged by the tornado in April and the county has worked tirelessly to get it up and running again. In fact, the aggressive timeline should have a portion of the ball fields ready Feb. 1.
Bryan County Parks and Recreation Director Dave Smith said he was unaware of the hit the park took from the tornado as he took a virtual tour online after he applied as he learned of the devastation shortly before he was hired.
When he first laid eyes on the destruction, Smith was speechless.
“My first impression is really easy to remember, just like it happened yesterday,” said Smith. “What I saw was the utter power of mother nature. I could not believe what I saw. I saw steel poles sheared off at the base. Previous to seeing that, I couldn't imagine anything strong enough to do something like that. It’s almost like you're viewing a movie as opposed to reality.”
Smith thinks funding for the park is somewhere near $1 million, not including the recreation center. Those funds will go towards amenities such as lights and sprucing up the ball fields.
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Everyone from county commissioners to Bryan County Schools have pitched in to provide outdoor activities. Smith added having new ball fields represents a new season in Bryan County recreation.
“It will feel the way it does when spring comes around - when that first ray of sunshine comes and you see flowers blooming, indicating a fresh start,” said Smith. “We are looking forward to expanding our services to the residents in and around Hendrix Park. Being a new director, I was looking for creative opportunities to not just bring back what we had at one time, but to offer more to those who use the park and especially for those who live near it.”
The county is in talks of holding a ceremony to commemorate the rebuild. A date is still in the works.
“It will be something like a ribbon cutting ceremony,” said Smith.
“We’ve already talked about maybe having one of our local commissioners up in that area throw out a first pitch to start the baseball season and make it a real celebration. It’s not just the excitement of a normal baseball season. We want to make this extra special.”
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Bryan County rebuilding Hendrix Park after tornado damage with plans to re-open next year
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