Month: July 2021

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners is on board with the first step of a Parks and Recreation master plan that lays out a proposed blueprint for adding parks, greenspace, trails, and developing recreational programs over the next decade.
The plan approved used extensive public input and analysis to identify gaps in Parks and Recreation’s programs and locations. Next steps include prioritizing of capital improvement projects.
 “Gwinnett has a top-tier parks and recreation program, developed over the years with careful thought and planning,” said Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson. “It makes sense to revisit these plans every 10 years because of changing demographics, priorities, and interests. This plan will continue the tradition of the Gwinnett Standard of excellence in recreation and facilities.”
In developing the plan, Gwinnett Parks and Recreation examined existing and projected demographics, current parks inventory, local and national trends as well as what residents and stakeholders really want. For example: creating recreation opportunities within a 10-minute walk. 
Assuming funding is available, the proposal calls for renovations and park improvements and new parks – including adding more playgrounds, dog parks, interactive water features, outdoor courts, and trails.
Meanwhile, armed with more than 29,000 social media responses, results from 1,700 surveys, and information from 10 town halls, Gwinnett Parks and Recreation learned it’s exceeding what other agencies are offering across the nation. One of the key findings is that parks and recreation is positioned as an essential service and residents hope it stays that way. To do so, feedback shows communications, convenience, facilities, amenities, and protecting the natural areas – should remain priorities.
The parks capital projects have primarily been funded through Special Purpose Local Option Sales tax revenues, which has raised about $259 million since 2009, 2014, and 2017.

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved a $4.1 million project to build a sensory treehouse at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center. The treehouse will allow visitors with disabilities to experience the sensation of being in a canopy of trees while in a controlled environment.
The treehouse is designed to accommodate all ages and abilities.
“The sensory treehouse will provide people the opportunity to connect with the ecosystem and challenge their senses,” said Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson. “It will help children without disabilities perceive the world as experienced by children with disabilities and the other way around  by immersing them in nature.” 
The sensory treehouse will resemble a giant American chestnut tree of Georgia’s historic forests. The structure will include a wide range of materials and textures, ranging from rough to smooth, hard to soft, warm to cool, and light to dark.
To reach the sensory treehouse, users will travel on an ADA-accessible boardwalk with self-directed learning stations, or nodes, that connect visitors to nature by touch, smell, or sight.
In the treehouse building, visitors will be immersed in an indoor sensory exhibit that uses video, audio and scents to allow visitors to experience 24 hours in a piedmont forest. These sensory features will provide the perception of all the elements that one would experience climbing into a tree canopy.
While users are close to the ground, the sloping landscape will create the illusion of height, so they feel as if they are soaring among the trees.
The project is scheduled to begin in the fall and take about a year to construct.