TODAY'S ISSUE
Suwanee unveils master plan for Sims Lake project
By Lynne B. DeWilde
Special to GwinnettForum.com

MARCH 3, 2006 -- Suwanee City Council has approved an initial $2.6 million master plan for Sims Lake Park. It's anticipated that another $2.8 million will be needed to finalize the project.

A committee of 27, including citizens, elected officials, and city staff, have worked with landscape designer Cerulea Inc. of Alpharetta since last July to create a park master plan that provides a wide range of passive recreational activities in a manner compatible with the property's unique natural and cultural resources.

The City of Suwanee acquired the 62-acre idyllic property, once owned by Rae Hewell, located at 4600 Suwanee Dam Road, in January 2003 using voter-approved open space bond funds. The property includes a seven-acre lake with 2,900 feet of shoreline; 39 forested acres; a 3,000-square-foot residence; several other small structures such as a caretaker's residence, barns, sheds, and a gazebo; an historic cemetery; and pastures and meadows. Last year, the City completed significant renovations on the earthen dam on the property to bring it up to state standards.

The future park, says Mark Joshi, a Suwanee resident whose home is adjacent to the Sims Lake property, "will be a great asset to the community. I'm excited to have a park that [my family] can walk to."

The approved Sims Lake Park Master Plan calls for approximately three miles of trails, including a paved multipurpose pathway as well as children's discovery trails and historical trails. In addition, the future Sims Lake Park will have several display-only water features, a picnic shelter, pavilions, children's play area, and outdoor lawn court area. The current residence, once occupied by Rae Hewell, is to be torn down.

Of the house, Joshi says that the committee struggled, without success, to find a way "to make that beautiful building into something that everyone can enjoy without spending a whole lot of a money" for renovations and maintenance.

The master plan proposes in later development phases a mid-sized pavilion with a stone fireplace and restroom to overlook the lake on the site where the house is currently located.

The proposed water features, says Marty Allen, Suwanee's planning and community development director, not only add aesthetic and distinctive elements to the park's landscape, they also provide a practical functionality. The water and stone elements will help maintain the lake level during dry periods, allow the lake to be used as a source for irrigation, and provide aerated, clean water to the lake.

The City had previously committed $1 million to implementation of Sims Lake Park elements. However, through the planning process, it became apparent that this would not be sufficient even for priority items. The master plan calls for $2.6 million for priority or core elements and another $2.8 million for future development, which would be phase two of the improvement program.

At its February meeting, City Council committed $2.6 million to the park's initial development; the money will come from remaining open space bond funds. While many of these core elements are not glamorous, they must be implemented before the park can be opened to the public. Among the core or prioritized elements are site preparation, water distribution system and irrigation features, paved parking for 96 cars and two buses, sidewalks and 6,100 feet of multipurpose trail, public restroom facilities, demolition of the house, and lights and signage.

Because of a number of other City construction projects already planned and funded, Suwanee does not anticipate beginning work on Sims Lake Park for at least two years. During that period, the City will move forward with final design of the park's core elements.

Nearly 100 residents participated at some point in the Sims Lake park planning process, which included a park preference survey, six formal meetings, and a parks tour for committee members.

"My opinions were listened to and considered," says an appreciative Joshi.

Through its $17.7 million bond-funded open space initiative, begun in 2002, the City of Suwanee has acquired approximately 230 acres of open space and created three new parks as well as a three-mile extension to the popular Suwanee Creek Greenway.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Spring Hill in operation, as Gwinnett snares another college
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

MARCH 3, 2006 -- The growing Gwinnett population is attracting another college to be located within its borders. Now in operation at a Gwinnett Park site on Shackelford Road in Norcross is Spring Hill College, offering courses aimed at people age 25-40, including both undergraduate and graduate courses.

Brack

Spring Hill is a Mobile, Ala. Catholic college now marking its 175th year of operation. It has 1,500 students. The president is the Rev. Gregory Lucey, a Jesuit father. He told us his college looked at the population data for adult programs in Atlanta, and saw an opportunity.

"We realized there were a fair number of Catholics in the area. Our school's mission is to provide a Catholic education to people of all faiths who believe the development of the whole person is essential to a successful life We're aiming at people needing to complete their degree or get an additional degree," he said.

To commemorate the 175th anniversary of the college, Spring Hill College is planning a grand opening of its Atlanta campus on Sunday, March 5, from 4-6 p.m. at the Gwinnett location at 1805 Shackelford Road. President Lucey is to be present.

Spring Hill has offered courses in theology in Atlanta since 1997. However, this is its first venture into other fields.

Heading the school as executive director of the Atlanta campus is Dr. Suzanne Erickson, who previously was a professor of finance at Seattle University. She and her husband, Warren, moved to Atlanta about 18 months ago, and live in the Laurel Springs community of South Forsyth County. He is president of Alacrity Services of Atlanta, a national network of managed contractors for homeowners and light commercial insurance claims They have two adult children, a daughter in San Diego, and a son in Atlanta.

Dr. Erickson says that among the programs Spring Hill offers in Atlanta are courses to complete the last two years of college, and master's programs. The undergraduate programs are in business administration, organizational leadership and theology.

Lucey

The advanced courses include one program aimed at people who are switching careers, the Master's of Arts in teaching. The other advanced program is a Master's of Science in Education for certified teachers seeking to reach a higher level of competence. The college also offers a MBA degree at another location in Atlanta.

A new program of the college is a Certificate in Christian Spirituality. Dr. Erickson says: "It's captured the imagination of a lot of people. We will take classes to other locations, with a minimum of five students and a maximum of 20. We're teaching this course in Conyers on Saturday mornings with 20 in the class."

In Mobile, Spring Hill College was an all boys school until 52 years ago. It has a 500 acre campus in Mobile, and its students are diverse. Only about one third come from Alabama, with significant number of students from Louisiana, Florida and Texas. About 75 per cent of its students live on campus.

President Lucey is a native of Wisconsin, and previously served as president and chairman of the board of the National Jesuit Conference in Washington, D.C.

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McLEMORE'S WORLD
3/3:

The latest from cartoonist Bill McLemore:

FEEDBACK
3/3: Administration used hysteria at every opportunity

Editor, the Forum:

Why is the fearmonger-in-chief being so casual about the Dubai business?

After all, President Bush, the vice president and their spin team invented and ridiculously enlarged America's hysteria by the open-ended claim that we are endangered everywhere and anywhere.

Hysteria launched Bush's invasion of Iraq, created the Homeland Security and pumped up defense spending by more than 40 percent. Hysteria has been used to develop U.S. foreign policy for permanent imperial war-making, whenever and wherever we find something frightening in the world. And according to Rumsfeld, hysteria will justify the "long war."

Washington will decide when and where to go to war, never mind the Geneva Convention and other "obsolete" international restraints. Anyone who resists that proposition is a coward or a subversive. Bush has used every opportunity to pick at America's emotional wounds since 9/11 and has encouraged us to imagine endless versions of even-larger danger.

Now that the nation is hysterical, the administration mocks it!

-- Ralph Greene, Snellville

UPCOMING
Gwinnett libraries to get visit from Dromedary troup

Dromedary

The Gwinnett County Public Library welcomes Dromedary for three visits. Dromedary is a musical and educational experience like no other-blending traditional music from Latin America, North Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

This family program explores how people the world over use music to celebrate important events from celebrations to festivals at these times and locations:

Monday, March 20 at 7 p.m.
Lawrenceville Branch
1001 Lawrenceville Highway

Tuesday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
Five Forks Branch
2780 Five Forks Trickum Road

Thursday, March 23 at 7 p.m.
Collins Hill Branch
455 Camp Perrin Road

For information or directions visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154

Deadline March 31 for two Suwanee college scholarships

The Suwanee Business Alliance announces two 2006 College Scholarships, one for $1,000 and the second for $500. Scholarship applications are available to all current high school seniors in zip code 30024, including North Gwinnett, Peachtree Ridge, Collins Hill, and also those residents attending private or home school curriculum.

The committee will consider applications received by March 31. The winner will be announced by April 30. For information on applications, the contact address is:

Suwanee Business Alliance Scholarship Committee
c/o Dr. David Richardson
2950 Suite C Horizon Park Drive
Suwanee, Ga. 30024

NOTABLE
Congressman seeks high school art for halls of Congress

Congressman John Linder (R-Georgia) is calling on Seventh District high school students with an eye for art to try their hand at the 2006 Congressional Art Competition, "An Artistic Discovery." The winner will be invited to attend the opening of the national exhibition this summer at the U.S. Capitol, where his or her work will be displayed in the hall leading to the Cannon House Office Building for one year.

"We should do all we can as a society to encourage our students to develop whatever talents they possess," said Linder. "For those with a gift for art, the opportunity to have their work showcased in a gallery such as this - in the heart of our nation's Capitol - is one that will not come often. I am proud to encourage artistic expression among our students in this way," Linder continued.

Congressman Linder will also hold an awards ceremony at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville, Georgia on Friday April 28, at 5 p.m.. Among other awards, the first-place winner will receive a $12,000 scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design and a $10,000 scholarship to the Art Institute of Atlanta.

Firm claims last parcel of mixed-use center in Suwanee

Through a competitive bid process, Atlanta-based development company Madison Retail has won the right to purchase the City's fourth and final mixed-use parcel available at Town Center. The purchase price for the 0.93-acre tract is to be $600,000. This is the third Town Center tract to be purchased by Madison Retail from the City of Suwanee.

Madison Retail already owns and has begun construction on a two-building, 84,000-square-foot, mixed-use project on a 2.2-acre site at the corner of Town Center Avenue and Charleston Market Street. (Main Street Corners has constructed the first 42,000-square-foot Town Center building at the corner of Buford Highway, which is set to open early this spring.) Madison Retail expects that its first building will be complete this fall. So far, tenants in its first building, which includes residential units on the second and third floors, are a tavern-grill, an interiors store, and a hair salon.

Madison Retail also has an option on another 1.7-acre site at which it plans to begin construction on a second mixed-use project late this spring. The newly claimed Town Center tract is expected to be all retail or a restaurant.

RECOMMENDATION

• An invitation: What Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus what book you plan to read next. --eeb
  
  

GEORGIA TIDBIT
Chorus music continues to thrive in metro Atlanta

A desire to upgrade the Atlanta Symphony to full professional status resulted in the engagement of Robert Shaw as music director in 1967. For his first season, the orchestra numbered eighty-seven musicians. Shaw founded the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and under his direction the entire ensemble grew into one of the nation's finest, winning numerous Grammy Awards. After serving for 21 years, Shaw was appointed music director emeritus and conductor laureate; he died in 1999. Yoel Levi directed the ensemble from 1988 to 2000 and is now music director emeritus. In 2001 Robert Spano began his duties as music director in partnership with the symphony's new principal guest conductor, Donald Runnicles.

Robert Shaw

Atlanta is home to many community choral groups, some of whom, for example, the Atlanta Singers, perform on a professional level. The Atlanta Lyric Theatre presents three or four operetta performances annually. Other prominent choral and instrumental groups include the Atlanta Boy Choir and the Pro-Mozart Society of Atlanta.

Several chamber groups have also achieved wide respect, notably the Atlanta Chamber Players, and Thamyris, which specializes in contemporary music.

Virtually all the universities, colleges, and junior colleges in Atlanta provide some musical instruction. The most important is the School of Music at Georgia State University, where 400 music majors are taught by a staff of 28 full-time and 39 part-time faculty members. Its new Rialto Center for the Performing Arts (capacity 833) is one of the finest medium-sized concert halls in the area. Two predominantly black colleges, Spelman and Morehouse, provide advanced music training programs as well. Spivey Hall (capacity 400) at Clayton College and State University has established one of the area's signature concert series, presenting a broad range of performances throughout the school year. Emory University 's Flora Glenn Candler concert series presents programs in the new Donna and Marvin Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts (capacity 825).

• To access the Georgia Encyclopedia, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
  
  

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Creative cartoonist Walt Disney found treasure - - in books

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island, and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day."

-- Cartoonist Walt Disney, (1901-1966) via Roy McCreary, Dacula.

• Another invitation: What's your favorite saying? Share with others through GwinnettForum. Send to elliott@gwinnettforum.com.
  

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