Why did it take so long for a $10 million South Bibb recreation center to open?

For two years Kimberly Harrington waited for the new recreation center near her home in south Bibb County to finally open.

Delayed by budget constraints and some additions to construction work, the $10 million South Bibb Recreation Center will open Saturday. A crowd gathered Thursday to get a first look at the 7035 Houston Road facility built with special purpose local option sales tax money.

Harrington, a mother of four boys, attended the ceremony with her 5-year-old son, Caleb, who she said was most excited about the swimming pools.

"We've been slowly waiting to see it built over the last year or two," said Harrington. "We have said we wanted to have something like a YMCA out there. This is really nice to see, and it's so close."

It's been a long wait for the residents who live near the center, County Commissioner Scotty Shepherd said.

The first targeted opening was in September, and then it was moved back several times after that, he said.

"It was one delay after another," Shepherd said. "I didn't know what to tell people. I didn't want to give them dates anymore. It was making me look bad when I was giving one date then another.

"We couldn't open the doors because we didn't have the people to staff it," Shepherd said. "All of those things have finally worked out."

The current budget had enough money to operate the facility, but that took a hit when healthcare costs ran higher than projected, said Chris Floore, assistant to the county manager for Public Affairs.

It will cost about $500,000-$700,000 to staff and operate the facility during its first year, he said.

The opening was also slowed by the construction of an additional smaller pool and more tennis courts and baseball fields, which were requested by some county commissioners.

It was safer to get that work finished before opening the complex, Floore said.

The budget and staffing costs are part of what Macon-Bibb has to factor into the various recreation center expansions that have occurred over the last several years. And while the SPLOST has provided a source of revenue to build those projects, it also comes with long-term costs associated with more employees and utilities.

There was $38.5 million spent on recreation improvements from the 2012 SPLOST and another $40-plus million dedicated in the current SPLOST.

Even prior to construction starting on the South Bibb center, plans had to be trimmed after initial estimates were $3 million over budget.

"It was important to get the center open for the summer; this part of the county has long waited for this promised facility," Floore said.

Attraction beyond Bibb

Having a recreation center of this size and caliber should draw in residents from well beyond Bibb County, several officials said Thursday.

The 35,000-square-foot center is located on 20 acres that now has a 1-mile walking trail, four tennis courts and baseball fields and two pools, including one designed for competitive swimming.

Inside the facility are a gymnasium, classrooms, a demonstration kitchen, fitness area and space to hold ballet and aerobics classes.

Once fully-completed, the goal is to have 24 tennis courts that can bring tournaments. And with the large pool, that could become another attraction, Shepherd said.

An athletic field and other additions are in future plans.

Shepherd said he expects families from Houston and Peach counties will make the drive to visit the South Bibb center.

"I don't know where you could go anywhere in this state and see something that’s going to be as nice as this is," he said. "I’m really proud to get the doors open and let the people start using it."

In the south Bibb community, the other nearby recreational opportunities have been west Macon baseball fields and the Lake Tobesofkee recreation area.

"We didn’t' have anything anywhere close at all," Shepherd said. "It's going to be a blessing for our kids. If they wanted to go swimming, they would have to go into town. It wasn’t convenient."

This story was originally published May 24, 2018 at 2:29 PM with the headline "Why did it take so long for a $10 million South Bibb recreation center to open?."