Residents of Gilmer County, Georgia are excited to hear of the new facilities and renovations coming to the City of Ellijay after being chosen by The State of Georgia Parks and Recreation Board to receive a first of its kind grant to update facilities.
Construction is set to begin in December of 2022 and completion is expected in the spring of 2024. New facilities will include 4 baseball and softball fields, covered batting cages, an Olympic size swimming pool and major renovations to the historic Civic Center in the heart of Ellijay.
Gilmer County native James Jones spoke with Channel 46 reporter Sandra Sandersville earlier and said the County hasn’t did much to improve the facilities in decades other than a clover leaf of baseball fields in the clear creek area. In his own words “me and my siblings were born and raised here and played ball here during the 80s and 90s. The governor told my brother Sammy Jones that he would see to it we get a gymnasium after Sammy scored the winning basket of the tri County men’s basketball league championship with a slam dunk at the buzzer in the Civic Center in 91. Still nothing has changed and won’t believe it will till I see it”
Jones very passionate about this stated he is more than excited to see the Construction begin so the young athletes of Gilmer County can have the same opportunities that athletes in all of the surrounding counties have.