MACON, Ga. — Just in time for summer, a new park is opening soon off of Riverside Drive in Macon's Pleasant Hill community. 13WMAZ spoke with neighbors and the county to learn what you can expect to see in the coming weeks.
Some people have not called Bibb County home for long.
"Approximately a year and a month," said Hector Nieves.
Nieves says he is used to seeing bigger parks, so when he saw Wise Avenue Park along Riverside Drive, he didn't know what it was.
"I thought it was an ATM until you brought it up to my attention it is actually a park," Nieves said.
Believe it or not, SPLOST coordinator Clay Murphey with the county says the park is what was Wise Avenue. There used to be nothing but blighted houses at the location, but now they have turned it into a recreational field the whole entire community can enjoy.
"It declined immensely, I mean there were 22 lots here, of which there were only seven structures, all of which were vacant," Murphey said.
Murphey says the county spent $2 million from the blight remediation program to tear down the houses, clean up the old street, and create a recreational field.
"We've landscaped it phenomenally, I mean there is a ton of new shrubs out here and new trees," Murphey said.
Neighbors will enjoy new LED lights on the field, new bathrooms, and even an outdoor pavilion.
"So right now we are kind of wrapping it up, we are about two to three weeks away from finishing up the project here," Murphey said.
They are words that bring music to Nieves' ears.
"I think this is really going to be good for the community, because there are not enough of them in the neighborhood," Nieves said.
A spokesperson with the county says the park should be open by July.