Although 2020 brought many unexpected changes, let us not dwell on the past, but look forward to the future. Ball Ground businesses are alive and well. Come spend the day and see for yourself. Enjoy dining and shopping that you won't find in just any small town.
Mayor A.R. (Rick) Roberts and the City Council look forward to making Ball Ground better than ever in 2021. Some of this year's planned projects include the resurfacing of Old Canton Road and improvements to A.W. Roberts Drive. Before work can begin, the Georgia Department of Transportation stipulated that a 6-inch water main must be relocated. The necessary easement from adjoining property owners has been secured, and the notice to proceed has been issued to the contractor to begin relocating the water line. This project should be completed in early 2021. Mayor Roberts has been working with state and county officials to make a Highway 372 bypass/truck route around Ball Ground a reality. Due to heavy daily traffic, Highway 372/A.W. Roberts/Gilmer Ferry Road has greatly deteriorated over the years. The elected officials of 1930 could have never predicted that this dirt road would become a major downtown Ball Ground thoroughfare. The road was originally paved in the fall of 1930 for $1,058. Roberts Lake Trail will also receive improvements this year. The plan is to move the trailhead from Roberts Lake Road to the Ball Ground Community Center parking lot, which will increase the length of the trail by .7 miles one way. The plan also includes expanding a trail loop within the existing Roberts Lake Park to a .5 mile trail along Long Swamp Creek. City staff are seeking grant funding to construct a foot bridge across Long Swamp Creek to connect the trail to property on the opposite bank. In a continued effort to make Ball Ground a pedestrian friendly town, Mayor Roberts and the City Council are working to secure grant funding to construct a hybrid beacon crosswalk at Lantern Walk Drive and Coy M. Holcomb Street. This would connect the Lantern Walk subdivision to the Valley District Linear Park, so those who live in nearby neighborhoods can more easily take a stroll downtown. In 2020, Mayor Roberts appointed the first ever City of Ball Ground Historic Preservation Committee. In addition to establishing a written record of buildings that have been lost since the first inventory, the Committee began updating the inventory of historic structures. Once this task was completed, the Committee was set to draft a Historic Preservation Ordinance to be considered by the City Council, which would protect Ball Ground's remaining structures. When COVID-19 caused businesses to shut down, these tasks were postponed. Mayor Roberts hopes to bring the Committee back together this year to make this a reality. Several other projects are also on this year's "to-do" list. Stay tuned for updates, as we continue to make Ball Ground "The Place to Be!"
to your business!