McDuffie County and the City of Thomson have received a $2.2 million state grant for the construction of a new park adjacent to the county government center.

Announced Thursday, the Improving Neighborhood Outcomes in Disproportionately Impacted Communities Grant was part of more than $220 million in awards. The money will be used for the construction of a public park along Railroad Street. Current plans call for playgrounds, picnic areas, a water fountain, an amphitheater and other amenities.

“We wanted to focus on something that would give families a place to gather and have fun, while giving us another option for a venue for events,” said McDuffie County Manager David Crawley. “We are very excited about this grant project and appreciate the state’s support of our efforts to improve our community.”

Officials hope the park will become a centerpiece for the revitalization of downtown Thomson. For example, a planned walking trail, dubbed the “Music Mile,” would start from the park and route through the downtown area. Along the way, there would be information points about local music history.

“This park is a very important piece of our plan to improve Thomson,” said Thomson Mayor Kenneth Usry, who has advocated for the park for several years. “I am ready to see it move from being just a set of plans on paper.”

Officials expect construction to begin later this year with work taking about 18 months to complete.

For more information about the grant, please review the press release from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp: https://tinyurl.com/mcduffiegrant.