The Hinesville Downtown Development Authority has been busy.

Michelle Ricketson, the executive director of the HDDA, gave the Liberty County Board of Commissioners an update on some of its projects during their June 18 meeting.

In January, the HDDA earned Main Street accreditation, making Hinesville a nationally designated Classic Main Street Community.
Ricketson described the Farmers Market as the place to be Thursday evenings. The number of patrons have been growing, along with special market days, such as the recent Dog Day at the Farmers Market.

One of the authority’s biggest projects is Bryant Commons. Ricketson showed commissioners pictures of renovated stables that have been converted into bathrooms. She said that with the help of some Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds, HDDA was able to keep some of the stable’s features turn it into a charming restroom facility.

“The Joint Management Board met in January and put together a charet about the metal building, which is Mr. Bryant’s old metal shed for tractors and equipment,” she said. “The thought is that the stables (restroom facility) came out so well, we wanted to carry that theme to the metal building.”

The metal building would be used as an event venue.

“There is a call for an event venue that gets you just a little bit larger than most hotels,” Ricketson said. “We need a middle ground, and this facility may allow for us to do that.”

It would cost an estimated $375,000. Ricketson said the HDDA is working on obtaining grants for that project.

Ricketson also mentioned the Veterans Memorial Walk and Cisco Dog Park. Funds are being raised for the continual development of the park, which will be the only one of its kind in Hinesville. Dogs are still allowed in other areas of Bryant Commons.  

Bryant Commons has received a lot of visitors. Traffic counters that were set out in May for 11 days counted 1,640 cars coming to the Commons.

“It is a park that is in use,” Ricketson said. “We’re excited that folks are using it for fishing, picnics, weddings, birthdays and for a variety of things. We’re excited to have these facilities and the dog park coming.”