The Banks County Board of Commissioners officially broke ground for the $3.2 million Windmill Park Sports Complex on Tuesday morning. Approximately 50 people turned out for the event. Shown (L-R) are: commissioners Danny Maxwell and Charles Turk, BOC chairman Jimmy Hooper, recreation board chairman Jason Hensley and commissioner Sammy Reece.

Groundbreaking held for Windmill Park Sports Complex

Posted by
Angela Gary
in Top Stories
Tuesday, July 14. 2015
Comments (4)
Tuesday, July 14, was a big day for Banks County. Banks County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jimmy Hooper said the groundbreaking for the new $3.2 million Windmill Park Sports Complex was the biggest project in county history.

Approximately 50 people turned out for the groundbreaking Tuesday morning at the site of the new complex.

Jason Hensley, chairman of the recreation board, said the project would be a boost to the economy in Banks County.

“This is an investment for the county,” Hensley said of the project. “We will have people paying to play on our fields, people will be eating in the restaurants and staying in the motels at Banks Crossing.”

In June, the BOC awarded the project to Scroggs and Grizzel Contracting, Gainesville, on the recommendation of Hayes and James Associates Engineers.

The project, a wagon wheel design, will include four baseball fields, batting cages, 1.5 miles of paved walking trails, paved parking and an access road.

Clearing is already under way at the site located behind fields 1 and 2 currently.

Hooper thanked Hensley, commissioners Charles Turk and Danny Maxwell, Chad Cotton, Rob Mabry and Eric Rogers for their service on the committee that made the park possible.

The $3.2 million sports complex project will be funded with Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax revenue.

“This will not cost our taxpayers,” Hensley said. “Everybody will contribute to pay for this project.”

Hensley said county residents could follow the progress of the new complex by checking out the county and recreation department’s websites.

A 15-minute time-lapse camera will be installed on an existing light pole and it will capture the progress of the construction process.

Hensley said, “This (complex) is going to put money in our pot, so to speak.”

Members of the 2014 12-under Banks County fastpitch softball all stars Dizzy Dean World Series Banks County Pride, along with coach Nick Denton, attended the groundbreaking ceremony. The girls led the pledge to the American flag.
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#1 Jdub on 07/14/15 at 03:18 PM [Reply]
Yeah, we need a sports complex in our county to draw people to play on it. Banks Countybdoesnt have the location or logistical support to make this complex any sort of draw for paying events. It's not central to any metropolitan areas or extravagant enough to make it worth paying to use.
With Gainesville and Buford so close with much better and larger facilities and more supporting infrastructure, they are better draws for paying events. Until Banks County commissioners realize that in order to compete with places like that, we have to get away from our antiquated way of thinking and actually make progress toward a commercial community and not agricultural.
And for the statement this won't cost our taxpayers, did we decide that SPLOST doesn't apply to Banks County Citizens. Of course we pay for it with an added tax to everything we buy. Not to mention the perks our commissioners have gotten and hope to get from this build.
#2 Anonymous on 07/14/15 at 06:45 PM [Reply]
How come the recreation staff was not there.
#3 David on 07/15/15 at 05:46 AM [Reply]
I hope you guys get a good crew to keep it in shape. The current fields are horrible and lack the proper attention.
#4 Throw those B@$tArd$ out on 07/15/15 at 11:51 PM [Reply]
Just got my appraisal. Tax increased by $40 bucks on a $70 dollar tax bill for land with no road, no public access and nothing built on it. If everyone's increases by this percentage I would advise the entire board of commissioners to resign, because there may be some welter weight boxing events "Hooper" style going on and I'd like to buy a ticket.
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