Macon cultural arts center, recreation upgrades move forward

Construction is expected to start soon on a Macon cultural arts center and recreation facility.

Improvements to the Gilead-Bloomfield Complex received the green light Tuesday as the Macon-Bibb County Commission approved a $1.1 million construction agreement with Macon-based Warren Associates. The first phase of renovations at the 1931 Rocky Creek Road site will include repairs and upgrades to classrooms and a gymnasium.

The master plan for the site, which includes the former Gilead Christian Academy and adjacent Bloomfield Park, is to create a cultural arts center for theater and music. Also, an educational facility for science, technology, engineering, mathematics — STEM — will come to fruition, while multipurpose ballfields will be added.

“It promises to be a real enhancement to recreation, especially in the south Macon area,” Mayor Robert Reichert said prior to Tuesday’s meeting.

Commissioners are expected to seek funding for the next phase of the project through a future special purpose local option sales tax. The current phase will take about 120 days to complete once construction begins, Macon-Bibb County spokesman Chris Floore said.

Funding approved for Bass, Sardis Church roads

Commissioners approved funding for design and engineering concepts on Bass and Sardis Church roads.

The county will spend $228,000 on designs for widening Bass Road, extending from Riverside Drive to Zebulon Road. Also, another $111,000 will go toward design work for an extension to Sardis Church Road.

County officials have said that the design work on Bass Road may persuade the state to cover the costs of improvements.

Fire department receives latest technology

The county Tuesday approved the purchase of equipment that will be used with the emergency dispatch system.

The $200,000 agreement for 47 mobile data terminals and vehicle docks will be used by the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department. The equipment works with the county’s new computer-aided dispatch system, or CAD, that is designed to enhance communication between 911 dispatchers and emergency responders.

The CAD system pinpoints information such as the location of fire hydrants and can show the layout of buildings while firefighters are responding to a call.

“This is so we can have the CAD computers and send pictures and floor plans,” Reichert said.

This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 7:19 PM with the headline "Macon cultural arts center, recreation upgrades move forward."