The Hall County Board of Commissioners approved a $9.73-million contract on Thursday for construction of the North Hall Park and Community Center-Library on Nopone Road. Grading work is already under way, and the remaining construction will begin within the next two weeks. Charles Black Construction is the construction manager for the project.
Bids for the library-community center construction, which were opened Oct. 26, were $1.64 million under the SPLOST project budget. “The terrific price validates our decision to move forward with North Hall Park while construction and land costs are low. Plus, this provides work to our local businesses. There is a silver lining to this dark economic climate,” Chairman Tom Oliver said.
A bid award for construction on the community center-library was postponed by a lawsuit filed by the Town of Clermont in April. Judge Andrew Fuller issued a ruling on Wednesday, Nov. 10, that allows the county to move forward with library construction at the Nopone Road site, saying that the county is not obligated to build the library in Clermont.
North Hall Park, the community center and library are 1-cent sales tax projects approved by the voters for central North Hall. The commission voted on the Nopone Road site in February. “The Nopone Road location is the most beneficial to the majority of North Hall residents, and to all our taxpayers,” Oliver said.
The first phase of North Hall Park will include four Little League baseball fields, a running track, walking trails, multipurpose field, and a children’s play area. Future phases will include more a recreational lawn, sports fields, hiking/bicycling trails and natural areas. The Community Center, which will share the building with the library, will include basketball courts, fitness center, indoor walking track, community rooms, a game room, showers and lockers. Beyond books, the Library will feature a coffee shop, a special children’s reading area, meeting rooms and quiet study areas. The park is expected to open in early 2012.