Monroe approval of $3million grant clears way for for work on Alcovy River Park to begin

By Jim Thompson – The Walton Tribune

Work on the Alcovy River Park, set to be established on nearly 124 acres of land donated to the city nearly six years ago by MFT Land Investments, an affiliate of Loganville-based residential construction contractor Reliant Homes, got a huge boost at the Sept. 8 council meeting with the council’s unanimous approval of an agreement regarding a $3 million grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The grant — combined with slightly more than $1.4 million in local funding, which can include in-kind goods and services and volunteer labor — will start work on the park, located off Georgia Highway 138 and Rao Drive, with a projected timeline of two to three years to completion.

Work on the donated acreage will be extensive, including such amenities as a kayak launch, campsite areas, picnic shelters, three restroom buildings, more than two miles of mountain bike trails, over a mile and a half of Americans With Disabilities Act-accessible trails, nearly 9,000 feet of natural-surface hiking trails, wildlife viewing areas, a playground, and preservation and restoration of natural habitats.