The Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority opened its new dog park at Knuck-McCrary Park Oct . 30 with representatives of the MCCPRA , the City of Moultrie and Colquitt County . Photo submitted by the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority .
Onlookers listen to the story of the “ The Great Beast and the Mouse ” during a professional puppet show sponsored by the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority last summer at Main Street Park . Director Greg Icard said the agency plans to offer similar summer programs from now on . Photo by Jack R . Jordan
grading the batting cages at the Magnolia Complex and expanding features at Main Street Park . There are also other smaller events that the MCCPRA hopes to continue and introduce .
These smaller things include a program that was introduced last summer . The MCCPRA began a twice-a-week program that brought entertainers for a younger audience such as an appearance from Spiderman , puppet shows , book readings and magic shows .
“ Those will definitely continue well past next year if I can help it . We had a great response from many people in the community and it ’ s just another way people can use our facilities . I want to do anything I can with what we already have ,” Icard said . The summer activities will ( hopefully ) be capped off with an Independence Day fireworks display at Spence Field .
“ We need special clearances from the FAA before we can even attempt to put it together but I think if we can get it rolling for the first year , we can continue for years to come ,” Icard said .
Repainting Shaw Gym is a long term top priority for Icard .
“ I want the people who use that gym to enjoy it . It ’ s an old gym and we need something more but we can ’ t quite put together a new gym just yet ,” he
said . “ For now we want there to be some improvements made . It ’ s something I ’ ve been wanting to do for a while now . There are things we still need to figure out but we ’ re working towards it .”
MCCPRA also hopes to expand the features at Main Street Park and improve parts of William Bryant Park .
“ We are hoping to get some things for younger children and children with disabilities . We also wanted to get some shade structures to help protect the kids during the hot summer . Nobody wants to go down a hot slide . We are planning to put some shade features in at William Bryant as well . These small things will protect the kids and make it more enjoyable .”
The batting cages at Magnolia Complex are getting a similar treatment . Icard hopes to provide some shading and some weather protection .
“ There needs to be something there . I want the baseball players to have a place to practice something no matter how hot or wet it is outside .”
There are many other things that Icard has planned for the coming years . We at The Scene couldn ’ t fit everything the MCCPRA is hoping to accomplish into one story without taking up the whole magazine . For everything else that is on Icard ’ s agenda , he said that it ’ s the people in his office and in the community that make it all happen .
“ We wouldn ’ t be here if it wasn ’ t for the people of Colquitt County . I want to give them everything I can without ever moving their millage rate up … The people here in the office are always working towards making it happen . You ’ ll even see us mowing the grass on the baseball fields if it needs getting done .”
JANUARY 2022 MoultrieScene 27