Harris Shoals Park
This is a small local park within the City of Watkinsville; with picnic areas, walking trails, and shoals that are kid and dog friendly. (Please remember GA state law, requires dogs to be on a leash). There are three (3) pavilions available to reserve for gatherings or events. Admission to the park is free.
The pavilion rentals are currently priced at $50.00 for four (4) hours or $90.00 for the day. NO CASH ACCEPTED.
Pavilion 1 has picnic tables Pavilion 2 has fireplace no tables Pavilion 3 has BBQ no tables
To rent a pavilion, call City Hall at 706-769-5161 or send your request via email.
Playground of Possibilities and ESP Miracle League Ballfield
This project was conceived as a public-private partnership between the City of Watkinsville and a local non-profit, Extra Special People (ESP) headquartered next to City Hall in Harris Shoals Park whose mission is “to create transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families.” When ESP 's CEO Laura Whitaker pitched the idea for a Miracle League Ball Field and fully ADA-accessible “Playground of Possibilities” at Harris Shoals Park to then (late) Mayor Dave Shearon, he told her to “make no small plans.” Mayor Shearon and then Councilman Brian Brodrick traveled with Whitaker to Minnesota to see examples of the playground equipment and other Miracle League Facilities. The city and ESP partnered to help the city upgrade and build new outdoor recreational facilities that would be fully accessible to people of all ages and all physical abilities. As a result of these plans, in 2019 the city established a public-private partnership (PPP) with ESP and got to work on the initiative. A Miracle League Committee was formed and included stakeholders from the healthcare industry, the local business community, elected officials, citizens, as well as staff from both ESP and the city government.
The project was supported by a huge cross section of the community, including being the basis for a significant regional fundraising event (ESP’s Big Hearts – A Ball for All, 2020) where local businesses and citizens raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the project. The Oconee County government also contributed $150,000 towards the project as a show of support. Even after the new facility opened, collaborations continue. The concession stand, which is used on baseball gamedays and other high use days, is staffed by older ESP participants who are trained in retail sales, and all concessions were donated by local convenience store operator Golden Pantry.
The City's Environmental Stewardship Efforts
The city has the following ongoing activities to protect natural resources:
- Public Education: The city provides information on stormwater issues.
- Public Participation: Look for opportunities to participate in stream clean-up activities.
- Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination: Decals are being installed to remind all of us not to dump in the storm drains.
- Construction Site Control: The city works to enforce erosion control associated with construction sites.
- Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations: The city picks up trash and leaves/limbs and maintains city property to minimize water pollution.
