Architect Sought for District II Recreation Center

Photo of soccer fields at North Mt Carmel Park (Google Images / Christine Braaten photo)

Henry County is accepting bids to hire an architect for the upcoming district II recreation center. The recreation center will be located at North Mt Carmel Park. The park is known today for its soccer fields and dog park.

The SPLOST V program includes six million dollars for a new recreation center in district two. Voters approved the program in November 2019.

Recreation Center Plans

The planned recreation center will be approximately 32,000 square feet. The chosen architect is charged to create a ”sleek, modern looks with clean lines.”

The rec center will include:

  • an entrance lobby with check-in area,
  • large community room (approx. 2,400 sq ft) with adjacent catering kitchen,
  • meeting room (approx. 700 sq ft),
  • office / cubical area,
  • employee break room,
  • four multipurpose rooms, each approximately 860 sq ft:
    • fitness / aerobics,
    • technology/ gaming,
    • arts / crafts, and
    • computer lab;
  • public restrooms / lockers (no showers),
  • two (2) separate full-sized basketball courts with room for bleachers and player’s benches, with
  • two (2) main basketball goals and four (4) cross basketball goals for each court.

The building will include an upper mezzanine level with a large open space for fitness equipment (approximately 3,500 sq ft). The upper level will also include an elevated walking track over both gymnasiums. A full-sized elevator will be provided between the two stories.

The county is accepting bids from qualified vendors until February 5, 2021, at 3 pm. The board of commissioners will consider awarding a contract for a project architect after staff review the submitted bids.

Building Cost

Clayton County recently completed a new 32,000 square feet recreation center. The facility had an $11 million dollar budget, nearly double the funds set aside by Henry County.

Last summer, the city of Kennesaw awarded a $7 million dollar contract for a new recreation center. The building measures 21,500 square feet with two basketball courts, a fitness room and office space.

Estimated construction costs will be most accurate after the building design is complete. If the build cost is more than available funds, then Henry County will need to identity other funding sources.

SPLOST History

SPLOST III included building a Hampton senior center and recreation center west of I-75. Voters approved SPLOST III in 2007, but the subsequent Great Recession greatly impacted local tax collections during the program.

In SPLOST IV, the two buildings were combined into one venue. The Bear Creek Senior and Recreation Center opened in 2017 after a $4 million dollar build cost. Since the building opened, residents have asked for indoor basketball courts similar to the county’s other rec centers. The planned venue at North Mt Carmel Park includes them.

Credit for the featured image to Google Images / Christine Braaten.

About Clayton 1429 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of MHF News. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.