DALTON, Ga. — When Edwards Park in Whitfield County was originally designed, in addition to the existing ball fields and tennis courts, a community center, amphitheater and a miniature golf course were also in the plans. 

On Monday, 21 years after the original plans were submitted, a new 38,000-square-foot, $3.8 million community center is open and ready for use. Whitfield County Recreation Department Director Brian Chastain laughed and said after more than two decades of waiting on the center, he isn’t pushing on the amphitheater and miniature golf course.

“It has been planned for a long time,” said Chastain, who was the director of athletics under then-Director Roger Crossen when the plans were developed. “This is a big accomplishment. I was here when all the plans were drawn up for this entire park and project. Now, 21 years later, we finally have it done.”

Crossen, who is now on the Board of Commissioners, was at Monday’s ceremony and said he was proud the building was finally in place. 

“It was a great feeling to have this accomplished,” Crossen said. “We started with the softball and baseball fields which were very needed, but I am very proud of our facility.”

The new building, which also houses the department’s administrative offices, has two gymnasiums, three multi-purpose rooms, two concession stands with kitchens and a 2,000-square-foot pavilion on the north side of the building overlooking the football and soccer fields at the park. The recreation department offices have moved from the facility on Gillespie Drive on the south side of Dalton. The facility was paid for with money from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). 

“This is some well-spent money,” Chastain said. “This is something everyone can get use from for everything from parties to showers to just general recreation use.”

Gerard Collins grew up on the north end the county and was a former standout at Northwest Whitfield High School. Now, he has three sons — Dylan, 16, Carter, 11, and Hudson, 9, and he has been a community coach for baseball, basketball and football for his sons. He said he was excited to see the new center open for people like his sons — and for himself. 

“I’ve always had to go down to the city to play, and it is awesome to have a facility open to the public like this,” Collins said. “It will be good for the community and good for the north end of the county. More than that and the space it will allow for the rec leagues, just to have an indoor facility for people to use and be open to the public is a fantastic thing for the area to add another place to play.” 

One of the biggest benefits, Chastain said, will be for scheduling of recreation basketball games. Currently, the recreation department has two gyms: one at the Gillespie Road facility and the other the old Eastbrook gym nearby. The department also uses gymnasiums at other schools around the county and the city of Varnell gym. 

“We have 100-plus basketball teams, and we only own the one gym, well two now that Eastbrook is ours, but that will have to be renovated,” Chastain said. “About 60 percent of our program participants are in this area. With two more gyms, that means six more games a night, 12 more games for each schedule round, and that is huge. That is big for our program.”

Chastain also said the facility allows the department to offer more programs such as aerobics. Also, rooms can be rented out and the department has plans for more family movie events.

The property for what is now Edwards Park was donated in the mid-1990s by the Edwards family, which included then Whitfield County Commissioner Debbie Peppers and Smith Foster. Chastain said during Monday night’s ribbon cutting and dedication, members of the family were honored, along with Crossen, who originally brought the plans to the county commission.

“Debbie and Roger really spearheaded this whole project from the beginning, and it was great to be able to recognize and honor them,” Chastain said.

Edwards Parks also has eight lighted baseball/Ssoftball fields, football fields, a walking track/trail, four sand volleyball courts, two outdoor basketball courts, eight tennis courts, a playground and a picnic pavilion.