Liberty County commissioners pointed to the power of the penny as they cut the ribbon on a renovated Miller Park.

Commissioners gathered Friday morning to cut the ribbon on the new pavilion and celebrate the park’s makeover — with the promise of additions to other parks in the county.

First District Commissioner Marion Stevens Sr. said the park may be in his district, but it took the votes of the rest of the commission to get it done.

“It’s been a struggle, a long struggle,” he said. “I didn’t have enough money in my budget. But some of them saw the need to contribute to Miller Park to get it to where it’s at. That’s teamwork.”

Miller Park is one of the oldest parks in the rural areas, Stevens said, and it was a fight to get it redone.

“Some wanted to tear it down. We fought to say ‘no,’” he said. “It might be my project, but it took all the votes on the commission to accomplish this mission.”

The ballfield, playground and basketball courts have been in use, and Friday’s ribbon cutting ushered in a new pavilion at the park. Construction on the pavilion started last summer and was done by RL Construction at a cost of approximately $386,000.

The construction was funded through the special purpose local option sales tax.

“This is not possible without SPLOST,” said County Administrator Joseph Mosley.

The county spent about $55,000 in 2021 on new playground equipment for the park, a cost that is almost double that amount, Stevens said. The county also has improved the drainage and paved the road along the park, a total of almost $1.45 million in improvements.

“I think it’s a great project,” said 4th District Commissioner Timmy Blount.

Liberty County Recreation Department Director Raymond Gross said all the facilities have a meaning to him, but Miller Park is special, citing his connection to the family of Joseph Miller, for whom the park is named.

“It’s because the Liberty County Recreation Department was a major factor in my development as a young man and an athlete,” he said. “This project has a little more meaning to me because the Miller family has become part of my family.

“It really means something more to me than some others. It’s because of the family aspect, it’s because of Liberty County, because of all the people I know who have been contributing factors in my life, that helped guide me, so anything I can do through the recreation department to help Liberty County be better is something I want to be part of.”

While work on Miller Park and its improvements are complete, other parks are in line for improvements. New pickleball courts at Liberty Independent Troop are expected to be open soon and new playground equipment is on tap for Briar Bay, Jesse Stevens and Susie King Taylor parks. Also, the county is working on a part at Cattle Hammock on Colonels Island to expand access to the water.

“We’re growing every day,” Chairman Donald Lovette said. “You can tell by the houses and the traffic.”

Lovette also said vandalism is becoming a problem at county parks.

“We have to take care of our parks,” he said. “We have people doing things at our parks they shouldn’t be doing. Help us ensure the parks are being taken care of. Don’t be protective of anyone who is tearing up your parks.”

Commissioners also espoused the benefits of the SPLOST and the improvements made possible at county facilities through its largesse.

“With the power of the penny and teamwork in Liberty County, there is nothing we can’t do,” Stevens said.