$3.6 million Central City Park project likely headed to commission vote

Historic Central City Park is on track to become the latest Macon site to receive a million-dollar facelift.

The county has received a $3.6 million construction bid to build multipurpose fields, sidewalks, a playground and pavilions at the Willie Smokie Glover Drive park. Approval from the Macon-Bibb County Commission could come in the next several weeks, and construction by International City Builders could start by early September.

Some changes to the first phase of renovations were made because the original bid came in $1.7 million higher than budgeted. Those modifications are mostly ones that visitors shouldn’t notice — eliminating some curb and gutter work and putting in sidewalks that are 8 feet wide instead of 10 feet.

The project is being paid for with revenue from the special purpose local option sales tax.

“We’re still putting in four multipurpose fields, sidewalks, pavilions and bathrooms. We’ve just changed the scale,” SPLOST project manager Clay Murphey said. “What we’ve promised is what we’re going to build.”

Over the past several months, crews have demolished some buildings in the park to clear the way for some of the upgrades that include additional parking and the construction of a new senior citizens center.

Macon-Bibb officials have $2.7 million set aside for the senior center, including $2 million in sales tax proceeds and $750,000 from a land swap with Mercer University.

“We’re hoping this month we will be able to put it out for (construction) bid,” Murphey said. “Some underground utilities are presenting a few issues, so we’re trying to address those now.”

Central City also will be home to a new skate park featuring rails, stairs and benches for skateboarders to use.

This story was originally published August 15, 2016 at 6:15 PM with the headline "$3.6 million Central City Park project likely headed to commission vote."