A lake with no name

Atlantans enjoy visiting the lake that dwells near the baseball complex but has no name.

“This lake’s not crowded like other places. It’s pretty and quiet. I come here almost every day just to relax. Don’t really care if I catch a fish,” said one citizen recently.

The two-acre pond resides inside the city limits, just minutes from any townhome. No wealthy estate-owning mogul could wish for more.

“Yet no one hardly seems to know it’s here,” said the same citizen.

The lake is part of the Sportsplex Park. Ask around and many people don’t know about it. And of the park itself, many seem to think it is only for baseball.

Fewer still would know that in 1999 the Atlanta park won recognition for the city for the way in which it was jointly built and for the teamwork involved in its conception and construction.

It was in 1993 when Atlanta officials began thinking of a city park and developed a plan in which the city, state, school district, baseball association, citizens and even the Boy Scouts would join together to make it happen.

To be sure, a place to play baseball was a motivating factor for the park. At the time, Atlanta had no municipal ball fields. Since the 1960s, the city’s youth played in private leagues at facilities owned by the Atlanta Dixie Baseball/ Softball Association.

When Atlanta began seeking funds for a park and the baseball association realized its fields needed extensive repairs, the two decided to work together. The proposed park would include not only a lake and recreation areas but also a baseball and softball park.

Atlanta first applied for and received a $500,000 grant from the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife. The grant required a match of $500,000.

The city approved an expenditure of $100,000 to assist with the purchase of 88 acres of land at a site which earlier in the city’s history had been the home of the former Atlanta Brick Company and a small narrow gauge railroad whose steam engine was affectionately known as “The Dummy” because it had no whistle.

To meet the remainder of the match, the city issued certificates of obligation to be repaid with non-tax revenue.

To meet the non-tax obligation, the city implemented a voluntary park fee placed on monthly water bills. The amounts were $1 for residents and $2 for commercial customers. Some 50 to 60 percent of the customers volunteered to pay the amount, and thus the city earned from $15,000 to $20,000 annually to repay the debt.

The city also entered into an agreement with the Atlanta Independent School District and the baseball organization for them to use the baseball fields for a combined annual support payment of $21,000.

The city also secured commitments from private citizens and businesses for $6,000 annually to be paid through 2009. Advertising space was also sold on the field reserved for varsity baseball.

Construction of the park began in the spring of 1998 and was finished in March of 1999. The city’s public work crews and the county’s road crews assisted. A local utility company handled the lighting. Residents and businesses pitched in with labor.

The Boy Scouts added an important part by building two walkway bridges on the walking trails, and the Lions Club added its share by building a covered pavilion.

The $1 million park included eight lighted baseball and softball fields, a concession stand and restrooms, a two-acre pond with an ADA-compliant walking trail and playground and picnic areas.

Then as now, some 700 to 800 youngsters play ball during the spring and summer.

In reality, the park and lake were the result of teamwork, and it is for this that the City of Atlanta was recognized as one of America’s Crown Communities in 1999 by City and County magazine. Atlanta was one of nine communities so selected.

The city’s obligation to repay the match fund of $500,000 was fulfilled in February in 2008, according to then City Manager Mike Ahrens under whose auspices the park project was completed.

The Atlanta schools fulfilled their cooperative 10-year funding commitment while the baseball association was on a second 10-year funding obligation of its own at a lesser amount.