Nonprofit makes progress on new Warner Robins park

Months after Warner Robins city officials presented plans that call for $87.5 million in upgrades to parks and recreation facilities, people working with a local nonprofit have stepped up to make headway on creating a new park.

The city owns about 38 acres of property off Olympia Drive near Wellston Ridge Apartments, and a plan recently completed for the city by Lose & Associates calls for $3.4 million to create Wellston Park. With the city's permission, volunteers have already completed an estimated $80,000 worth of work on the property.

Jim Taylor, chairman of the nonprofit Wellston Trees & Greens, said his brother-in-law built Wellston Ridge Apartments in the 1980s and donated about 30 acres of adjacent land to the city in the '90s. Since that land is in a flood plain, it was unsuitable for construction but fine for a park.

"It's been sitting there dormant since 1997, and nothing's been done to it," Taylor said of the property. "So, I took the initiative to see about getting it finally developed. ... It's so overgrown you really couldn't see anything."

Taylor said he was approached by contractor Charlie McGlamry, a former owner of the property, and "he wanted to volunteer his equipment and his people to clear some of the property over there so we could see what we have."

On Friday, after two weeks of clearing work was completed, Taylor took Mayor Randy Toms and City Engineer Walter Gray to check out the site.

"I was very impressed with the property now that it has been cleaned up some," Toms said in an email to The Telegraph. "We were able to see so much potential in the property for many levels of activities for parks and recreation. I have always thought this location was in a perfect part of town, and I think it would really enhance that area."

On Monday, Taylor is on the City Council agenda to bring officials up to speed on the work that's been completed so far. Taylor said he also will suggest some possible next steps for the park that could be a collaborative effort between the city and the nonprofit.

"It's just been a waiting game, so I decided to be the squeaky wheel," Taylor said. "If we could get Wellston Park done, that will be the impetus to get all the other ones done. ... People are just tired of hearing political talk or any talk, They want to start seeing some action."

The City Council's pre-council meeting, where Taylor is expected to speak, begins at 4 p.m. Monday. The regular council meeting follows at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall, 700 Watson Blvd.

To contact writer Laura Corley, call 744-4334 or follow her on Twitter @Lauraecor.

This story was originally published December 6, 2015 at 10:17 PM with the headline "Nonprofit makes progress on new Warner Robins park ."