Thomasville approves master plan for Parks and Recreation
Photo courtesy city of Thomasville
Thomasville City Council approved a Comprehensive Master Plan for Parks and Recreation Tuesday night that will guide the city’s development of projects in short and long range pieces.
The council had the chance to review the plan in its entirety during its retreat, but council member Pat Shelton asked Parks and Recreation Director Cory Tobin to give an overview Tuesday.
Thomasville currently owns and maintains 13 parks totaling approximately 200 acres. In his explanation during the meeting Tobin said part of the goal was to “discuss and plan for things we can act on, and not just talk about.” He added that there was an effort to get input from “all 27,000 residents of Thomasville.”
Interactions with the community included participation at the 2023 Everybody’s Day event, an online survey, and interviews with stakeholders that included city leadership. ““Public feedback largely supported enhancement of existing infrastructure while also providing strategic enhancements needed within the community including a dog park, splash pad, and additional pickleball facilities.”
Tobin presented several project plans for the short term, things that the city can tackle within the next four years, including:
“Veterans Memorial Park V• Replacement of Cushwa Stadium lighting.
Central Recreation Center • Improve existing playground with inclusive play features. Provide enhanced access to the playground and throughout park facilities. • Resurface tennis courts for six pickleball courts, two tennis courts, and a flexible green space. • Install outdoor fitness equipment.
Myers Park • Construct a dog park adjacent to the existing parking lot.
Kimbrell Park • Create a parking lot and develop pathways to existing park facilities. • Install playground facilities.
Carver Park • Begin formulation of advisory committee and start design work for Reginald-Strickland Center.
Future Facility Recommendations • Explore activation of lot adjacent to Fire Station 2 to enhance recreational opportunities in southern Thomasville.
Program Recommendations • Establish a program philosophy geared towards offering specialized programming to teens and adults not interested in convention sports and building upon Thomasville’s reputation as a regional leader in youth sports offerings.
Policy Recommendations • Recommend hiring an additional 10 FTE staff members by 2030. • Development of a strategic funding and implementation plan to support implementation of the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan.
Greenway Recommendations 1. Unity Street to Culbreth Avenue (~1/2 mile) 2. Trinity Street to East Main Street (~1 mile) 3. Julian Avenue to East Main Street (~1.3 miles) 4. Stream Daylighting Project (Old Fisher Ferry Road Re-Use)”
The full plan can be seen on the city’s website under the Parks and Recreation tab.
In other business, the council voted unanimously to begin charging all property owners for trash collection. Until now, if a property is unoccupied, an owner can still place trash at the curb for pickup, and would not be charged for it. Going forward, all property owners will be charged for trash collection at each property whether it is occupied or not.
