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photo by Marcus Frazier
Dimarco Johnson, 18, shoots a solo game of hoops Friday afternoon at Concord Avenue Park. The City of Natchez is in the process of making plans for a multi-sport recreational complex that could cost up to $15 million.
Residents enthusiastic about recreational complex
Published Saturday, September 22, 2007
NATCHEZ — Natchez and Adams County residents involved in recreation are generally enthusiastic about the city’s proposed recreational complex, but some aren’t sure how the project will come about.
All agree that any steps toward the proposed $15 million project should involve public input.
Natchez Mayor Phillip West has suggested the city and county hire consultants to look into what might be built, where it could be located and how much it would cost.
Photo by Marcus Frazier
Dimarco Johnson, 18, and Sylvester Williams, 18, play a game of basketball Friday afternoon at Concord Avenue Park. The City of Natchez is in the process of making plans for a multi-sport recreational complex that could cost up to $15 million.
Jo Eidt, member of the Natchez Recreation Council and county supervisor candidate, headed the 2003 council that worked toward a recreation complex.
“As chairman of the joint city/county/school district board, we worked real hard with citizens to get their input,” Eidt said. “We did a lot of groundwork, spent a lot of time to see where the needs in the community were.”
The commission was at the point of looking for funding to hire architectural and engineering consultants for the project when the International Paper mill closed, and the project dissolved.
Eidt said he thought a similar process could work this time, using knowledgeable local individuals to research what was needed and where the complex could be built.
“I think some of this work can be done in-house by a committee, a group dedicated to recreation,” Eidt said.
That would save some money, he said. Eventually, though, landscape and recreation architects would have to be hired.
“You’re going to have to have an expert to design these facilities when it comes to that point,” he said.
Overall, recreation needs to be addressed, he said.
“It’s not a new issue,” he said. “Money always puts recreation back toward the bottom. It’s time, in my opinion, that recreation rises to the top of the list.”
David Carter, extension service director and member of the county recreation commission, said he absolutely supported recreation.
“The city needs it, and it would be an economic booster for the community,” Carter said. “I think the ideas are awesome. As for how it’s going to happen, I haven’t been on that side of it that much.”
Whether or not the city decides to hire a consultant, community input should be an essential part of the process, he said.
“(The proposed) $100,000 is a lot for a consultant, but I guess that’s what they run today,” Carter said. “The question is, do we need one? That’s not my position to say.”
Faye Minor, a member of the committee that tackled the previous plan, said she was completely in favor of the proposed recreation plan.
“I think it’s a really great plan,” Minor said. “It’s a program that should have been in place years ago. I think the mayor (who proposed the plan) is making a good move and a bold move on recreation facilities.”
Director of the Boys and Girls Club, Minor said she felt recreation was one of the most important things the city could address.
“It’s great for kids to have something to do,” Minor said. “I think anything that will give kids more opportunity to participate, I’m all for it. I think we’re long overdue.”
Comments
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on September 22, 2007 at 5:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
“I think it’s a really great plan,” as quoted in the paper.
If some one has seen a plan, please share with the community.
Posted by puccini5 (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 8:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Glad someone is getting a rec for the kids we are still waiting on ours in Vidalia! Passed tax and still nothing but we do have medical facility on the riverfront guess we can play ball in their parking lot.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on September 22, 2007 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hold On! The mayor suggested a sports complex to the tune of $15 million but other than hiring consultants, nothing of substance.
He could have suggested a Summer Olympics Venue for Natchez. Now that would be out of the box idea and he could have suggested that the city would vie for the 2024 Olympic Games.
We would have people saying that was a great idea. Let’s go for it.
The reality is that tax payers are not in a mood to fund a sports complex if it comes with additional taxation.
Now, we could fund a very state of the art recreational complex, if the government departments of Adams County were consolidated. You know, get rid of the duplicate services and get rid of the Supervisors, Mayor and Aldermen.
We have a public school system for Adams County. So we could have a consolidated system of government. Set up a County Administrator and five advisors. Each would have a vote and ties are not all that bad. It would mean the 6 individuals had better work with one another to get things done for the electorate.
Think about it!
Posted by wonderingirl (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
gemccull, I usually think you have some pretty good ideas, but I don't know about this consolidation idea. A lot of the problems we have in local government now come from abuse of power. If there was a county administrator and 5 advisers overseeing all city and county business decisions, there would absolutely be no room for error in who held these positions. I think recent events have reflected how unlikely it would be for all to be trustworthy and without motives of their own. Even though city and county officials don't always work for a common goal as they should, this type of governing still offers more of a check and balance. I guess what I'm thinking is if you elect enough of them, they can't all be crooked, and maybe, just maybe ,the good ones wiil keep an eye on the bad ones!
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
YO HO GO WITH JOE. If they turn Joe Eidt loose, he will get it done. I for one will stand behind Joe 100% He knows how to get the job done AND HE IS FOR THE LITTLE VOICES IN NATCHEZ. It makes my day to know they have consulted him and it didn't cost 100k. GO JOE.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on September 22, 2007 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonderingirl, my ideas are like ball games, you win a few, you lose a few and some get rained out.
Just think about it, instead of listening to twelve people speechify or pontificate, we would only have to be concerned with six. Besides, we would reduce the number of kingdoms/thiefdoms from 12 to 6.
Yes, we might elect a bad apple every once in a while, but we should have five responsible elected citizens to offset their actions/deeds. I am thinking that instead of the whole group coming up for election every four years, we could stagger the terms. Every two years, three of the elected officials would come up for reelection for a four-year term of office.
This idea of consolidation is not a new idea from me. Like the sports complex, the idea surfaces every once in a while but nobody takes any action to make it happen.
Posted by iomo (anonymous) on September 23, 2007 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The bean field location was shut down because it has some historical significance as I understand it. Why can't we still build the recreational complex there and have historical markers for everyone to see as they visit the complex? Don't you think those of long ago would want us to give our children something to do instead of looking at a field of weeds?
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on September 23, 2007 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
T'is my thoughts exactly, iomo.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on September 23, 2007 at 3:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The area of the historical location was only 20 acres of the total site. Besides, there is other property that could be purchased that is adjacent to the bean field.
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