Demolition of parts of John Davis Recreation Center to start later this month

Charles Oliver, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·3 min read

Feb. 14—The design is underway for the renovation of the John Davis Recreation Center, and demolition of the center's gym and locker rooms should begin soon, according to Dalton City Administrator Andrew Parker.

Parker briefed members of the City Council on this and other projects when they met recently as the city Finance Committee.

The renovation will be paid for from the 2020 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Plans call for a complete renovation of the 1986 portion of the building, which includes all of the administrative offices and the conference and assembly space upstairs. In addition, plans also call for a new gym where the current gym is as well as a new entrance and lobby, a new locker room for lifeguards at the outdoor pool and renovation of the pool equipment area.

City officials are moving forward with an aquatics center with a competition-size pool near the Dalton Convention Center, but they plan to maintain the pool at the rec center.

The council members approved a $5 million contract with Felker Construction of Dalton to serve as contractor-at-risk for the renovation in September 2022. A contractor-at-risk agrees to deliver a project at a maximum price. The contract includes all of the contractor's overhead, profit and fees, as well as building construction, design fees, project furnishings, site work and any contingencies.

The rec center was built in three stages. The original section was built in 1957. In 1963 the building was expanded with a gym and additional office space. In 1986 the city added more office space and programming areas.

Parker said work on soccer fields at Dalton's Lakeshore Park and the Ron Nix Soccer Complex at James Brown Park should be finished by the end of June. The council members voted in December 2022 to accept a $1,248,426 bid from Shaw Integrated and Turf Solutions to replace the artificial turf on the soccer fields at those facilities. The bid included both the turf and its installation.

Replacement of the playground at Harlan Godfrey Civitan Park is also expected to be complete by the end of June.

The new playground will be handicapped accessible.

To see a video showing the playground concept go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4ne17HrQhk.

Parker said the design has been completed for streetscape improvements on Cuyler Street and Pentz Street and the city will apply for a state Improving Neighborhood Outcomes grant to fund the work. Streetscape includes the green decorative street signs found in the rest of downtown as well as moving overhead utilities underground, the planting of trees and improvements to water and sewer if needed.

When finished, this work will complete the final section of the original streetscape plan that was developed in 2000.

The council members in August 2022 voted to award a $247,000 professional services contract to Goodwyn Mills Cawood of Atlanta to design the streetscape improvements to Pentz Street and Cuyler Street.

Parker said the lining of stormwater drain pipes is complete on Franklin Street and Ridge Street and on Valley Drive. The new linings should seal cracks and holes in the pipes and improve the flow of stormwater.