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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF COASTLINE.
AND TODAY WE'RE TALKING PARKS AND RECREATION.
I'M JOINED BY SHANNON LOPER, WHO IS ACTUALLY THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUFORD COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WE WERE ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE MATT WATTS, BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HE GOT SNOWED IN, IN NORTH CAROLINA.
SO I THINK WE'RE BETTER OFF WITH YOU, SHANNON.
I'D MUCH RATHER HIM BE HERE, BUT I WILL TAKE HIS PLACE.
WELL, I'M SO EXCITED TO HEAR THAT.
UH, THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS ON YOUR PLATE RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF BUDGETING AND YOU'RE WORKING ON A MASTER PLAN.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO PROMOTE TODAY IS, UH, THE, THE BROWN, UM, LYNN BROWN, UH, RECREATION CENTER IN BUFORD.
SO, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THAT.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS CENTER IS AND WHAT YOUR PLANS AND HOPES ARE FOR.
SO WE'VE, UM, WE HAVEN'T USED THE CENTER IN A FEW YEARS.
UM, WE HAD RENTED IT OUT TO BRIDGES SCHOOL.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, SINCE COVID WE HAD PLANNED ON TAKING IT BACK AND, UM, DOING ACTIVITIES THERE AND OF COURSE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, COVID SLOWED THAT DOWN.
SO, UM, WE GOT, UM, THERE WAS A COMMUNITY GROUP THAT CAME TO US AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGED US TO PLEASE GET IT OPEN AND, UM, BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE ALWAYS USED IT FOR BASKETBALL AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO USE IT FOR OUR BASKETBALL PROGRAMS, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT IT OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, IT'S OPEN FROM 11 TO SEVEN, WE'VE ALREADY GOT A CARDIO ROOM SET UP OFF OF THE GYM.
WE HAVE ORDERED $30,000 WORTH OF WORKOUT EQUIPMENT FOR A WEIGHT ROOM WHERE WE HAD THE WALL TAKEN OUT IN A BIG ROOM, OPENED UP FOR WEIGHTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A WOMEN'S WORKOUT ROOM WITH, UM, EXERCISE MACHINES THAT ARE DESIGNED JUST FOR WOMEN.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THAT GOING ON.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE OPEN PICKLEBALL IF PEOPLE WANT TO COME IN AND PLAY PICKLEBALL INDOORS, WE'LL HAVE THAT.
WE HAVE A CURTAIN THAT DIVIDES THE BASKETBALL COURT SO THEY COULD PLAY TWO DIFFERENT GAMES OR, YOU KNOW, IF ONE PERSON WANTED TO PLAY BASKETBALL ON HALF THE COURT AND ONE PERSON, ONE OR A FEW PEOPLE WANTED TO PLAY PICKLEBALL AND THE OTHER HALF IT'S AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
SO, UM, PICKLEBALL IS THE NEW UP AND COMING SPORT IN AMERICA.
A LOT OF RETIREES THAT THEY'RE FINDING, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAMINA TO DO TENNIS.
UH, PICKLEBALL IS A LOT EASIER, I GUESS, THAT THE RACKET IS ACTUALLY WOOD WITH HOLES IN IT.
AND YOU USE KIND OF A WIFFLE BALL TYPE, UH, ARRANGEMENT THERE.
SO, UM, HOWEVER, I READ AN ARTICLE A FEW WEEKS BACK ABOUT, UH, YOUR LYNNE BROWN CENTER.
ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT WAS, UH, REALLY TRYING TO GET THIS THING GOING, UH, BOB MULLINS, AND, UH, I GUESS IN HIS ARTICLE, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PLACE THE, UH, THE WIFFLE BALL JUST RIGHT, YOU CAN HAVE SOMEBODY REALLY RUNNING OVER ALL OVER THE COURT.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MADE THE RIGHT DECISION THERE AND TRYING TO PLEASE BOTH THE BASKETBALL PLAYERS AND THE PICKLE BALL PLAYERS BY HAVING BOTH STILL AVAILABLE AT THE, AT THE CENTER NOW WAS THE CENTER FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE GREEN STREET GYM, IS THAT THE BUILDING I'M THINKING ABOUT AND SOME PEOPLE STILL REFER TO IT AS THE GREEN STREET DOWN.
SO WHERE EXACTLY IS IT LOCATED? IT'S ON HAMMER STREET.
SO IT SORT OF ACROSS FROM THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.
AND IS THERE A POOL THERE, THERE IS.
WE HAVE OUR OUTDOOR POOL THERE THAT IS EXTREMELY BUSY.
IT'S OPEN FROM MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY CHEER.
AND WE STARTED, UH, FOR COVID.
WE DIDN'T GET TO DO IT DURING COVID LAST YEAR, BUT WE DID THIS YEAR.
SO WHAT WE DO AT THE END OF THE SEASON IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE A DOG DAY.
SO WHEN WE CLOSED DOWN TO THE PUBLIC ON LABOR DAY, THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND, WE INVITE EVERYONE TO BRING THEIR DOGS TO SWIM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ADD EXTRA ACTIVITIES WHERE WE CAN.
SO, UH, ASIDE FROM THE BASKETBALL AND THE PICKLEBALL, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE NOW BRINGING IN $30,000 WORTH OF, UH, UH, WEIGHTLIFTING EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT'S ALSO VERY GAINING POPULARITY.
THESE DAYS IS PEOPLE ARE FINDING THAT, UH, IT'S, UH, EASIER TO GET FIT AND LOSE WEIGHT AND GET TONED BY, UM, USING HEAVY WEIGHTS RATHER THAN BY RUNNING AND DOING CARDIO.
UM, BUT THERE'S THE SAFETY FACTOR THERE.
HAVE YOU GOT SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE ALONG AND DEVELOP A ROUTINE FOR THEM? WE HAVE, WE HIRED A FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBER.
THAT'LL DO THE CHECK-INS, BUT HE'S ALSO A CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER.
SO ANYONE THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS QUESTIONS OR NEEDS QUESTIONS ASKED, YOU KNOW, HE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP OUT.
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IT'S NOT ONLY IS IT JUST LIFTING WEIGHTS, BUT IT'S EXERCISE EQUIPMENT AS WELL.SO IT'S, IT'S THE SAME EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE AT OUR BURTON WELLS AND OUR BUCK, WALTER LOCATION IN BLUFFTON, SAME NAME, BRAND, AND EVERYTHING.
SO I THINK THAT, THAT PEOPLE WITH IT BEING MORE CENTRALLY LOCATED VERSUS BURTON WELLS, I'M HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL GET OUT THERE AND USE IT MORE.
WE HAVE OUR MEMBERSHIPS, WE SELL DAILY.
SENIORS IS A DOLLAR, REGULAR IS $2.
OF COURSE, ANY CHILD THAT'S STILL IN SCHOOL IS ALWAYS FREE.
AND THEN WE DO OUR WEEKLY, OUR MONTHLY AND OUR YEARLY MEMBERSHIP.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO JOIN FOR THE YEAR, UM, AS A SENIOR, IT'S ONLY $75 AND IT'S 90, YOU KNOW, FOR JUST A REGULAR, UH, OF COURSE YOU NEED TO BE A TAXPAYER BECAUSE IT'S MONEY, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE USING OUT OF OUR TAX FUNDS TO FUND THE EQUIPMENT.
UM, BUT WE DO SELL, UM, OUT OF COUNTY AND OUT OF STATE, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DROP IN AND USE IT WELL BY THAT YEARLY PRICE OF $75, YOU'RE ACTUALLY BEATING SOME OF THE COMMERCIAL GYMS AND, UH, YOU'VE GOT ALMOST EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO OFFER THE BOARD, SET THE PRICES FOR THAT.
THEY DID IT AS A, BASICALLY IF YOU BUY NINE MONTHS, YOU GET THREE FREE.
AND YOU DID MENTION THE, THE BLUFFTON GYM.
I MEAN, THE BLUFFTON FACILITY IS LIKE THE CROWN JEWEL OF PARKS AND RECREATION, ISN'T IT? IT IS.
I KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY THE LYNN BROWN, UM, WEIGHT ROOM IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A LOT LARGER THAN THE, UM, BUCK WALTER WEIGHT ROOM.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE THERE IS WE HAVE OUR INDOOR BATTING CAGES AND WE HAVE OUR INDOOR TRACK AT BUCK WALTER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.
UM, THEY FEEL LIKE THAT WE SLIDED THEM, UM, IN NORTHERN BEAVER COUNTY, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THESE FACILITIES ARE BUILT OR HAVE BEEN BUILT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY'RE BUILT WITH IMPACT FEES.
SO IT'S NOT BUILT THROUGH YOUR TAX DOLLARS, IT'S BUILT THROUGH YOUR IMPACT FEES.
AND SO BLUFFTON HAS JUST BROUGHT IN SO MUCH MONEY IN IMPACT FEES BECAUSE OF THE LARGE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THAT'S WHY WE'VE HAD THE MONEY OVER THERE TO DO MORE.
SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SLIDE ANYONE, YOU KNOW, IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, IT'S JUST THE IMPACT.
AND PLUS YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE ROOM AT THE LYNN BROWN CENTER TO ADD A BATTING CAGE.
UM, WE DO HAVE THAT IN OUR MASTER PLAN FOR BURTON WELLS.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE IN THERE TO ADD ON ANOTHER GYM AND SOME BATTING CAGES AND STORAGE.
SO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT THAT WE WILL GET, UM, SOME MONEY OR SOME IMPACT PHASE THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MASTER PLAN IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT, UH, ABOUT THE BURTON WELLS, UH, FACILITY, UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN BE DONE? YOU INDICATED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS WELL USED AS YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO BE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD BE DONE TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO HAVE PEOPLE COME FROM? WELL, YOU PROBABLY HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM HABERSHAM.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM THAT AREA.
I THINK A LOT OF IT IS JUST THAT IT'S.
UM, SO FAR OUT OF THE WAY IS WHERE A LOT OF THE STRUGGLE IS.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT PROGRAMMING.
WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAD SOMEONE JUST REACH OUT TO ME THIS WEEKEND AND ASK ABOUT, UM, YOGA CLASSES AND ZUMBA CLASSES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE DO MOST OF OUR CLASSES THROUGH WHAT WE CALL 70 30 PROGRAMS. AND SO WE CONTRACT THEM OUT WITH SOMEONE AND IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND THEY WANT TO TEACH A CLASS, WE GIVE THEM 70%, WE KEEP 30%, BUT WE DO ALL THE ADVERTISING AND WE TAKE IN ALL THE REGISTRATION.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WE SEND THEM A CHECK FOR, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF PATRONS THAT'S COMING IN.
SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD DEAL FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO OVERHEAD, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE TO MARKET, THEY DON'T HAVE TO COLLECT THE MONEY.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
THEY GET, GET A CHECK AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY SOME PEOPLE WILL COME FORWARD IN THE BUFORD AREA THAT WOULD LIKE TO TEACH CLASSES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CLASSES IN NORTHERN BEAVER COUNTY AS WELL.
WE JUST NEED THE CONTRACT INSTRUCTORS TO COME.
DO YOU HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THIS BEING, TAKING PLACE AT ANY OF YOUR FACILITIES? YEAH, SO WE HAVE AT BUCK WALTER, WE HAVE TWO ZOOMBA CLASSES AND ONE YOGA CLASS.
UM, WE HAVE ONE THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS SENIORS AND ONE THAT'S NOT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A YOGA CLASS AND, UM, THE INSTRUCTORS COME IN, THEY SET THEIR DAYS.
UM, THEY SET THEIR PRICE, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DO ANY OF THAT.
WE DON'T TELL THEM WHAT THEY HAVE TO CHARGE.
UM, BUT THEY COME IN AND WE HAVE ONE THAT COMES IN IN THE MORNING, ONE THAT COMES IN AT THE EVENING AND THEN DIFFERENT DAYS OF THE WEEK.
SO IF WE COULD GET THINGS LIKE THAT OR HAVE CONTRACT INSTRUCTORS THAT COME FORWARD, UM, EITHER IN, YOU KNOW, BARTON WELLS OR LYNN BROWN, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD WELCOME THEM TO HAVE CLASSES.
UH, WE JUST DON'T HAVE STAFF THAT CERTIFIED TO TEACH THOSE CLASSES.
SO WE RELY ON THE PUBLIC TO COME, YOU KNOW, CAN I IMAGINE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT
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YOU'VE GOT TO CERTIFIED AS A PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER, HE PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO DO ALL OF THE REQUESTS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, A QUOTE UNQUOTE PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER.SO THERE MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY TO HELP IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
AND HE'S ACTUALLY, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SO WITH THE, UM, WITH THE GYM OPENING, NOT, UH, LEN BROWN, NOT OPENING UNTIL 11 AND CLOSING AT SEVEN, UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT, UM, HIM OFFERING CLASSES IN THE MORNING FROM NINE TO 11 OR SEVEN TO NINE IN THE EVENINGS.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO COME IN AND HE COULD DO A 70, 30 PROGRAM AND DO PERSONAL TRAINING SIDE.
SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON A CONTRACT WITH HIM FOR.
SO YOU THINK HE CAN HELP ME LOSE MY COVID-19? ALL RIGHT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A ONE OF THREE FACILITIES THAT FALL UNDER YOUR PURVIEW.
UM, WHAT ELSE IS A PART OF PARKS AND RECREATION? YOU USED TO BE CALLED THE PALS, RIGHT.
AND WE WERE PARKS AND LEISURE, BUT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF LEISURE THAT GOES ON IN THE, THE RECREATION WORLD.
SO, UM, WHEN MATT STARTED WITH US, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE, UM, CAME FORWARD AND ASKED THAT WE COULD CHANGE, YOU KNOW, AND BE KNOWN AS PARKS AND RECREATION BECAUSE HE REALLY WANTED TO GET THE WORD RECREATION OUT THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH ALL THE SPORTS THAT WE DO, UM, WE'VE ADDED ON, UM, YOU KNOW, TO OUR SPORTS.
UM, WE DO ADULT VOLLEYBALL NOW.
UM, WE DO ADULT BASEBALL HERE IN VIEW FOR NOW.
UM, WE DO LACROSSE, UM, WE'VE STARTED A SENIOR SOFTBALL PROGRAM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'RE NOW, UM, THIS YEAR, UM, WE HAVE A HUGE KICKBALL FOLLOWING, UM, UH, NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY HAS A GROUP THAT, THAT DOES KICK BALL.
AND, UM, SO SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY HAD A GROUP THAT STARTED KICKBALL AND THEY CAME TO US SHORTLY AFTER AND ASKED US TO TAKE THAT OVER.
AND, UM, THIS YEAR THEY'RE GOING TO START WITH DODGE BALL.
OH NO, THE DREADED DODGE BALL ADDED SPORTS THIS YEAR.
I HAD FUN DOING DODGE BALL WHEN I WAS A KID, YOU KNOW, BE INTERESTING.
YOU MAY HAVE TO HAVE SOME WAIVERS SIGNED.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION DID.
WE WENT WITH A NEW SOFTWARE PROGRAM THIS YEAR CALLED REC DESK.
AND, UM, IT'S A VERY, VERY CONVENIENT PROGRAM.
UM, YOU CAN GO ONLINE, YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT.
AND THEN WHEN YOU COME IN THE OFFICE, WE HAVE A LITTLE SIGNATURE PAD.
AND WITH EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT COMES IN, WE HAVE THEM SIGN A WAIVER.
THOSE WAIVERS ARE, ARE LEFT ON THEIR ACCOUNTS AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO IT EVERY TIME THAT THEY SIGN UP.
SO IT'S BEEN VERY CONVENIENT WHEN I STARTED WITH PARKS AND REC 20 YEARS AGO, WE DID PAPER REGISTRATIONS, PAPER, BIRTH CERTIFICATES, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST STACKS AND STACKS OF PAPERWORK.
AND YOU KNOW, NOW EVERYTHING IS ONLINE AND WE HARDLY HAVE ANYONE THAT COMES IN AND REGISTERS IN PERSON ANYMORE.
WELL, WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CAN REGISTER ONLINE AND WE'LL HAVE GUNS TALK ABOUT YOUR MASTER PLAN.
THAT'S OCCUPYING A LOT OF YOUR SCHEDULE.
WE'LL HAVE MORE COASTLINE RIGHT AFTER I'M JOE BOGUS.
AND I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH THE BEER FOR COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.
I'VE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER AND MOST RECENTLY FINANCE CHAIR FOR THE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY REWARDING AND ENRICHING EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY SINCE I BEGAN THE BOARD, MY BOARD TERM, DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE GREAT RECESSION WHEN HE HAD VERY FEW BOOKS AND VERY FEW VISITORS.
BUT OVER TIME, THE BOARD AND LIBRARY LEADERSHIP HAD MANAGED TO REBUILD OUR FINANCE, THAT WE'RE SPENDING MORE MATERIALS NOW THAN EVER BEFORE.
AND IN A GREATER VARIETY, BOTH HARD COPY AND DIGITAL GROWTH IN BUFORD COUNTY MADE THAT WE HAVE TO CAREFULLY HUSBAND OUR RESOURCES.
AND THIS IS WHERE VOLUNTEERS IN THE LIBRARY PART DO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SUSAN AND I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 18 YEARS AND WE KNOW THE POSITIVE IMPACT LIBRARIES CAN MAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TODAY'S LIBRARY IS A NEW TOWN HALL, FULL OF VIBRANT MIXTURE OF PROGRAMS AND OFFERINGS.
AS A BOARD MEMBER, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT WE CAN MAKE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE PEOPLE SPEND THEIR TIME AND TALENTS ON MAKING BUFORD COUNTY A BETTER PLACE.
THIS IS OUR HOME, AND THIS IS WHY I MAKE THIS INVESTMENT IN BOTH MY TIME AND MEN IN MY COMMUNITY.
THIS VERY BRIEFLY IS WHY SERVE, WHY I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER SPENDING YOUR TIME ALSO FOR THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY.
THANK YOU TO SEE A LISTING OF BUFORD COUNTIES, AGENCIES, BOARDS, AND COMMISSIONS, OR TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION VISIT WWW.BUFORDCOUNTYT.GOV,
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BACKSLASH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.WE'RE TALKING TO SHANNON LOPER, WHO IS THE BUFORD COUNTY DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE VARIOUS, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PART AND PARCEL OF YOUR, A DEPARTMENT, THE BURTON WELLS FACILITY, THE BUCK WALTER FACILITY IN BLUFFTON AND THE, UH, LYNN BROWN IN CITY OF BUFORD.
AND OF COURSE WE TALKED TO BEFORE WE WENT TO THE BREAK ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE, UH, ALSO, UH, AVAILABLE, BE IT SOCCER AND, UH, DODGE BALL, AS WE MENTIONED, THE, UM, I, I WAS ALSO, KICKBALL IS FASCINATING.
IT IS THAT, UH, BEING DONE BY KIDS OR EVEN ADULTS THESE DAYS, OUR KICKBALL PROGRAM IS ALL ADULTS.
UM, RIGHT BEFORE COVID WE HAD, UM, WE PUT REGISTRATION OUT FOR IT AND HAD OVER 20 TEAMS REGISTER OF ADULTS.
SO IT IS A VERY LARGE PROGRAM.
IS THAT A, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD, THE BROAD HEADED, UM, GROUP THAT DID KICK BALL.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE STARTED THE CAKE BALL, WE DIDN'T OFFER IT NORTH OF THE BROAD CAUSE THEY ALREADY HAD A GROUP NOW.
I'M NOT SURE IF THE GROUP IS STILL, YOU KNOW, DOING IT OR NOT.
UM, THEY NEVER CONTACTED US ABOUT ANYTHING.
SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THEY DO IT OR YOU KNOW, WHO THEY REGISTERED.
SPEAKING OF REGISTER, UM, WHERE DO PEOPLE FIND OUT ALL OF IT ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR BUFORD COUNTY RECREATION? UM, ON OUR WEBSITE? UM, IT IS BC S C R E C.COM OR BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA REC.COM.
AND, UH, WILL THAT ALSO LIST THE VARIOUS PRICES OF LIZ? WE HAVE OUR FOREVER CALENDAR, WHICH WE, WE HAVE DATES.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, YOU KNOW, CAN GIVE MATT CREDIT FOR.
WHEN HE CAME HERE, HE WANTED TO SET DATES.
SO THE SAME DAY, EVERY YEAR WE END REGISTRATION.
SO IT'LL BE LIKE THE, SAY THE SECOND FRIDAY IN FEBRUARY, THAT ONE SPORT REGISTRATION ENDS.
SO EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS GOT THOSE DATES.
THEY CAN PRINT THAT FOREVER CALENDAR AND HANG IT ON THEIR REFRIGERATOR.
AND THOSE DATES WILL NOT CHANGE.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I HOPE IS ALREADY ON YOUR WEBSITE IS INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON IT.
UM, THE WOODEN PARTNERS IS THE GROUP THAT ACTUALLY HEADING UP THE MASTER PLAN AND THEY'RE CREATING, UH, THEIR OWN WEBSITE.
SO THIS WEBSITE IS SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THEIR CONTRACT, UM, THAT THEY DO.
UM, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND CLICK ON IT.
THAT'LL TAKE YOU TO THAT WEBSITE.
UM, BUT IT'LL HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ON IT.
UM, THE SURVEYS THAT GO OUT IT'LL HAVE ALL THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEYS, UM, IT'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC MEETINGS, UM, THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAD.
SO WE'LL HAVE FOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS.
UM, THEY WILL BE HELD AT, UM, DALE, SCOTT, UM, BURTON WELLS, AND ONE IN SOUTH OF THE BROAD AT BUCK WALTER.
AND THOSE DATES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
ANYBODY THAT HAS SENT ME AN EMAIL OR CALLED ME, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT IS INTERESTED IN ANYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY THAT WON'T BE A MAX OR PEOPLE THAT WANT US TO CREATE A REMOTE CONTROL CAR PARK.
UM, JUST DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME AND ASK.
UM, SO ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE, I HAVE PERSONALLY EMAILED THEM BACK.
I KEPT A LIST OF THEM AND GIVEN THEM THE DATES OF THE MEETING SO THAT THEY CAN COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE.
SO YOU'RE JUST GETTING REALLY STARTED ON THIS.
WE ARE, UM, WE ACTUALLY, THE NEXT TWO DAYS WILL BE SPENT IN THE CAR, TAKING THIS GROUP TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE CENTERS FOR THEM TO TAKE PICTURES, SEE THE CENTERS WHERE THE LOCATIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, ASK US, WHAT'S OFFERED AT THE CENTERS, YOU KNOW, WHAT GOES ON AT THE CENTERS AND ALL THAT.
WE'LL GO INTO A REPORT THAT THEY'LL WORK ON.
SO THE IDEA OF THE MASTER PLAN IS TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
AND MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME IDEA OF WHAT YOU HOPE THE END RESULT WILL OFFER.
SO MY BIGGEST THING IS I HOPE THE END RESULT WILL OFFER, YOU KNOW, WILL GIVE US IDEAS.
UM, WE'LL LET PEOPLE'S VOICES BE HEARD.
UM, THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING THAT I'VE LECTURED TO MOST OF THE PEOPLE AND TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DO NOT PARTICIPATE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A VOICE IN IT, DON'T COME BACK AND COMPLAIN.
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YOUR TIME, YOU KNOW, HERE'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT I WANT.WILL WE BE ABLE TO SATISFY EVERYONE? NO, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO SATISFY EVERYBODY.
BUT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME TO US WITH THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN THE GUY CAME TO ME AND HE SAYS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REMOTE CONTROL CAR PART, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD, YOU KNOW, HAS NEVER EVEN BEEN THOUGHT OF.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE TIME FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY GET OUT, REALLY LET THEIR VOICES BE HEARD AND, UM, TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE.
UM, OUR, OUR HASHTAG WILL BE PLAY VIEW FOR COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE OUT THERE.
WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, PROMOTE IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
CAUSE LIKE I SAID, EVEN AFTER THE PUBLIC MEETINGS, THERE'LL BE SURVEYS THAT WILL GO OUT AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER IN THE SURVEYS IF THEY CAN'T MAKE THE MEETING.
UH, WE DID, UM, DECIDE THAT WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE MEETINGS BECAUSE OF COVID, WE'RE GOING TO DO AN IN-PERSON MEETING, BUT WE WILL ALSO OFFER IT AS A ZOOM MEETING SO THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH COMING TO THE MEETINGS, THAT THEY STILL CAN PARTICIPATE WITH IT.
SO THE, THE, ALL THE PARKS IN BUFORD COUNTY ALSO FALL UNDER YOUR PURVIEW THEN? CORRECT.
SO, UM, AND I, I READ AN ARTICLE A FEW WEEKS BACK ABOUT SOME GROUP THAT WAS TRYING TO GET UP MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL IN A, IN A PASSIVE PARK.
AND, UM, UH, I THINK THE GIST OF THE ARTICLE SAID THAT THAT WAS REALLY A PASSIVE PARK WAS NOT, UH, AN IDEAL LOCATION, BUT PERHAPS ONE OF THE ACTIVE PARKS, UH, MIGHT BE SO, UH, WOULD THIS GROUP BE PERHAPS ONE GROUP THAT MIGHT APPROACH THE MASTER PLAN AND SAY, WHERE CAN WE PUT A MOUNTAIN BIKE? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE HAD ANY MOUNTAINS IN THE LOW COUNTRY, BUT RIGHT, RIGHT.
WELL, THAT'S ONE THING AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, THAT, THAT WE NEED TO GET OUT, UM, AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AT PUTTING, UM, OUR MASTER PLANS OUT, UM, BECAUSE LIKE THE, UM, BUCK WALTER MASTER PLAN, FOR INSTANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT MASTER PLAN WAS APPROVED.
UM, IT SET, YOU KNOW, UM, TO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DEVELOP THERE.
AND WE HAVE THE SAME THING WITH BURTON WELLS THAT MASTER PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT BURDEN WELLS, THAT WE HAVE A 18 HOLE DISC GOLF COURSE THAT'S PLANNED FOR THERE, THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON NOW, WHAT KIND OF GOLF COURSE? YES.
THEY HAVE LIKE BASKETS AND YOU THROW THE FRISBEES AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET THEM IN THE BASKETS THERE.
THEY'RE BECOMING VERY POPULAR AS WELL.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT PLAN THERE.
WE HAVE AN EIGHT COURT PICKLE BALL COMPLEX THAT'S PLANNED FOR BURTON WELLS.
WE HAVE A BMX BIKE SECTION THAT'S PLANNED FOR BURTON WELLS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WALKING PATHS FOR BIRD WATCHERS.
APPARENTLY THEY'RE VERY POPULAR AND THEY COME HERE ACROSS THE STREET AT THE POND.
THE FUTURE FOR THAT IN THE MASTER PLAN IS AN RV PARK.
UM, AS WELL AS A, ZIP-LINE A PUTT PUTT AND A SPLASH PAD.
SO ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
IT'S JUST FUNDING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT GOTTEN US TO START WITH SOME OF THE STUFF.
FUNDING IS ALWAYS THE DILEMMA, ISN'T IT.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, UM, WOULD YOU TRY AND APPROACH THIS WITH MAYBE A, UH, A PENNY SALES TAX OPTION OR, UM, PERHAPS SOME OTHER TYPE OF A FUND RAISING? YEAH.
SO SOME OF IT, UM, WITH THE PICKLE BALL, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW, UM, WE WERE, UM, AWARDED STATE ATEX FUNDING FOR THAT.
UM, WE HAVE APPLIED FOR LOCAL ATEX FUNDING FOR IT.
UM, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH DOWNTOWN TENNIS IS, UM, WE APPLIED FOR LOCAL ATEX FUNDING LAST YEAR FOR DOWNTOWN TENNIS AND WE WERE AWARDED THAT.
UM, SO WE'RE FIXING TO REMODEL THAT COMPLETE FACILITY DOWNTOWN.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE PICKLE BALL AND BURTON WELLS, WE HOPE EACH YEAR THAT WE CAN EITHER APPLY FOR STATE OR LOCAL AID TAX, AS WELL AS WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, A LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION GRANT THROUGH THE STATE FOR THAT FACILITY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP APPLYING FOR THOSE, SOME OF THAT FACILITY WAS BUILT THROUGH THE LAND AND WATER.
AND SO IT KIND OF GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF A ADVANTAGE BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH THAT LAND AND WATER GRANT.
SO IT MAY VERY WELL HELP US WITH GETTING MORE LAND AND WATER.
THIS IS THE BURTON WELLS FACILITY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WELL, THERE CERTAINLY IS A LOT OF LAND OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
THERE'S A LOT OF WETLANDS TO THOSE.
SO, AND THAT WAS, I GUESS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH BUCK WALTERS.
WE HAD TO REDO THE MASTER PLAN THERE BECAUSE THE COUNTY WAS THE LAST TO DRAW THE PERMIT.
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AROUND THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION CAUSED THE WETLANDS TO TAKE OVER.SO WE LOST A LOT OF THAT LAND OUT.
WELL, I MEAN, IT REALLY SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS ON YOUR PLATE.
UM, ARE YOU FEELING LIKE YOU'RE READY TO PULL YOUR HAIR OUT? NOT REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO GET THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
YOU KNOW, BUDGET IS BUDGET, IT'S A YEARLY, YOU KNOW, THING.
UM, YOU GO IN AND HOPE THAT, THAT YOU CAN GET MORE SO THAT YOU CAN DO MORE.
AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, NOT REALLY, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I THINK THINGS ARE LOOKING WELL.
IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU COULD OFFER YOUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, REVIEWERS OVERSEERS, WHICH I GUESS IS COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A, A TOUGH COUPLE OF YEARS THAT, UH, PEOPLE ARE FEELING THE ANXIETY OF, UH, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ALL THAT.
AND NOW THAT THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO OPEN UP, WE NEED TO KIND OF MAKE IT APPEALING, INVITING AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM SOME FUN.
I THINK COUNCIL HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH, UM, MOST OF OUR REQUESTS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, I'VE GOT THAT POSITIVE ATTITUDE THAT THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE AND THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TO BRING MORE AND OFFER MORE TO THE COMMUNITY LONG RANGE AND HAVING LOOKED AT I'M SURE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHAT WOULD YOU LOVE TO SEE? ONE, ONE THING THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE COME TO BUFORD COUNTY THAT WE DON'T YET HAVE TWO THINGS I'D LOVE TO SEE.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A, UM, FULL FLEDGED OLYMPIC SIZE AQUATIC CENTER THAT WOULD BE CENTRALLY LOCATED.
UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE THREE SMALL INDOOR POOLS, I'D LOVE TO SEE ONE HUGE, LARGE AQUATIC CENTER THAT WE COULD BRING, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SWIMMING AND, UM, TO THE AREA.
AND THEN I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LARGE BASEBALL COMPLEX.
UM, WE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD SOME LAND OUT ON THE PARKWAY AND, UM, THAT DIDN'T, UM, DEVELOP.
SO, UM, WE'RE HOPING TO POSSIBLY, UM, THAT WE MAY HAVE FOUND SOME MORE LAND, UM, AND IT EIGHT FIELD COMPLEX TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN TOURNAMENTS AND OFFER MORE AS FAR AS EVEN ADULT SOFTBALL AND, YOU KNOW, UM, YOUTH BASEBALL AND OTHER TOURNAMENTS THAT WE COULD BRING INTO THE AREA WE LOVE BRINGING IN TOURNAMENTS AND WE LOVE BRINGING IN, YOU KNOW, MONEY ON IT.
I MEAN, THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD SELLING POINT WHEN YOU'VE GOT THESE TOURNAMENTS.
PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER AND, UH, WE OUGHT TO GET SOME MONEY, NOT JUST CHATTANOOGA.
WELL, SHANNON, IT'S JUST BEEN A REAL PLEASURE TALKING WITH YOU.
AND I, I THINK YOU DID AS PROBABLY A BETTER JOB THAN MATT WOULD EVER HAVE.
SHANNON LOPER, WHO IS WITH THE BUFORD COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS THEIR DIRECTOR.
AND, UM, NEXT MONTH, UH, WE HOPE TO HAVE WESTERN NEWTON FROM THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HERE ON COASTLINE.