THOMASVILLE, Ga. -- As part of a goal to improve Thomasville's public parks, agencies have created a new set of guidelines for visitors.
The rules are the result of a joint effort between the City of Thomasville Public Works Department, Thomasville Police Department and City Code Enforcement Office.
The new rules are just a taste of changes taking place at Thomasville public parks, according to Public Works Director Mike Atkinson.
“We have a goal to improve our parks and public facilities. During 2012 alone, we completely overhauled the playground at Cherokee Lake, added covers to the bleachers at our ball fields in Remington Park and added half a mile of new sidewalks to the complex as well,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson added that there are even more improvements in the works.
“This year, as part of our effort to improve our community spaces, we are evaluating the playground equipment in all of the parks to see where we can update it to best benefit our community. While we were doing this, it made sense for us to evaluate the parks as a whole in order to see how we could make them more enjoyable for the community. The new park guidelines are a part of that overall effort,” Atkinson added.
City leaders say the new guidelines are intended to keep the parks safe and family-friendly and ensure the parks are used in the way they were intended. The guidelines remind park patrons that no alcohol and illegal drug consumption are allowed. They also let park visitors know that off-road vehicles are permitted in parking lots only. The use of off-road vehicles on playing fields and other park grounds poses a threat to park pedestrians and can damage the turf on the fields.
“These guidelines are not meant to hinder anyone’s fun or enjoyment of these areas, but more to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience,” said Thomasville Police Department Lieutenant, Eric Hampton. “Most of these guidelines are already followed and will not have any effect on the majority of park patrons.”
The new guidelines are as follows:
- No alcohol allowed in the park
- No illegal drugs allowed in the park
- No parking on the grass; parking allowed in designated areas only
- No animals allowed in the park unless otherwise noted
- No vehicles allowed on park grounds. Vehicles must remain in designated parking areas.
If you would like to learn more about projects involving Thomasville's community parks, call Public Works at 229-227-7025.
