City and County broke ground on $4.5 million parks improvement projects Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar and Bulloch County Board of Commissioners Chairman Roy Thompson came together, first at the Luetta Moore Park then at the Rev. W.D. Kent Park, to officially break ground.
City and County officials gathered to participate in the ground breaking. In addition to the Mayor and Chairman, Commissioner Anthony Simmons and Council Member Paulette Chavers spoke. Assistant City Administrator Jason Boyles served as the Master of Ceremony and Reverend Jean Owens provided the invocation.
Watch full video of the entire ceremony and the first groundbreaking at Luetta Moore Park.
Luetta Moore Park previously consisted of a softball field, little league field, playground, basketball court and multipurpose building. After completion of the improvement project, the park will retain the multipurpose building, little league field and basketball court and will add a volleyball court, therapeutic swimming pool, splash pad, bath house, ADA compliant multi-age playground, two family pavilions with grills, improved lighting, security cameras, expanded parking and WiFi access. The softball field will be removed to make way for the pool and splash pad.
Rev. W.D. Kent Park previously featured 6 half basketball courts. Once improvements are completed, the park will have a covered basketball pavilion as well as an ADA compliant multi-age playground, two family picnic pavilions with grills, an outdoor half basketball court, an accessible walking trail, drinking fountain, new parking lot, improved lighting, security cameras, and renovated bathrooms.
Funding for the park improvements is provided through bond financing with the Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA) of the City of Statesboro. The URA is a redevelopment agency that was established to facilitate the park improvements and consists of Statesboro’s Mayor, City Council, and five community leaders.
The improvements are projected to be completed by early summer 2021 with weather permitting. Both parks will continue to be under the management of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Parks & Recreation Department.
