Tim Estes, director of the Sumter County Parks & Recreation Department and speaker at the Americus-Sumter County Chamber of Commerce luncheon Thursday, said that construction has begun on a community/recreation center at the site of the old Gertrude Davenport building on U.S. Highway 19.

The first section of the facility is expected to open in June. It will feature a fully-equipped gymnastics center, indoor walking track, two basketball courts, splash pad, etc.

The splash pad is an area for water play.

Typically splash pads have ground nozzles that spray water upward. There may also be other water features such as a rainbow (semicircular pipe shower), a mushroom shower or a tree shower.

A study by a consulting firm revealed that Sumter County only needed about one of its five public pools, Estes explained. He said a public pool is much more costly to operate than a splash pad. He hopes the arrival of the splash pad is more rational to eliminate the use of some of the County’s public pools.

County leaders decided to bring a gymnastics center to Sumter to give girls more recreational options. Estes said there will also be a gymnastics program for boys, but he admits the sport is more popular in the U.S. with girls.

Estes said local participation by girls in recreational sports has exploded over the last few years. There is enough girl participation to sustain both an all-girls soccer league and an all-girls basketball league at the Sumter County Parks & Recreation Department.

Estes said Thursday that the rec department, in the past, hasn’t concentrated as much as it should have on recreation activities for girls. In the future, it will also concentrate on providing more activities for senior citizens.

The rec department maintains Barnum Pond on North Mayo Street, and this area is designated for seniors and their guests. The pond was stocked in the past few months with 2,500 bass and 12,500 bream.

Estes talked about his staff. He said they are very qualified. He said there are three officials at the Sumter County Parks & Recreation Department that are certified youth administrators (CYA). He said this is the highest certification in the public recreation field.