Forsyth County officially opened the new Fowler Park Recreation Center on Monday, February 20, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new facility was funded by a combination of the Parks, Recreation and Green Space Bond approved by Forsyth County voters in February 2008 and Impact Fees.

“I would like to say thank you to both the voters of Forsyth County and to the development community for the funding sources that made this new facility possible,” County Commission Chairman Jim Boff said. “Forsyth County has an outstanding park and recreation system and this new recreation center will no doubt be a wonderful addition to it.”

The Fowler Park Recreation Center is located inside Fowler Park at 4110 Carolene Way. The approximately 40,000-square foot center includes two basketball gymnasiums, an indoor walking track, cardio/weight membership room, fitness studio, multi-purpose/art studio, dance studio, and a community room with a warming kitchen.

The center will offer a variety of athletic programs, summer camps and recreational activities including basketball, fitness, dance, art, martial arts, gymnastics, and special interest classes. New programs are slated to begin at the Fowler Park Recreation Center in mid-March and will include a variety of fitness classes, Jujitsu, jump rope clinics, home school gymnastics and creative art programs for all ages.

“I know the residents of this portion of the county have looked forward to this center with much anticipation, and know that it will be a well-utilized facility,” District 3 Commissioner Todd Levent said. “This is an outstanding addition to one of the greatest parks in the southeast and will serve our community well.”

The new Fowler Park Recreation Center is the county’s third recreation center. On February 15, Forsyth County opened the new Old Atlanta Park Recreation Center located at 810 Nichols Road, across from Lambert High School. Forsyth County also has a recreation center at Central Park, located at 2300 Keith Bridge Road. The county’s three recreation centers will serve as the main activity registration sites for the Parks and Recreation Department.

Construction of both the Fowler Park Recreation Center and Old Atlanta Park Recreation Center incorporated sustainable features designed to enhance the facility’s operational efficiency and to help realize cost-savings. These measures included installing energy control systems for the facility’s HVAC and lighting systems; having large, open windows to allow for natural lighting and reduce power costs; using durable, low-maintenance products throughout the entire building; and installing underground water storage tanks which will capture water from the roof to be used for irrigation.

Fowler Park, which was funded by the voter-approved Parks, Recreation and Green Space Bond, opened in February 2011. The approximately 85-acre park features fields for baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse and football, tennis courts, basketball courts, a walking trail around the perimeter of the park, pavilions, a dog park, a skate park, a large playground, five-acre passive area, and a trail head for the Big Creek Greenway.  For additional information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 770.781.2215.