James_Nov-Dec_2025_web - Flipbook - Page 45
LaGrange Cricket is the world’s second-most popular
Albany Georgia’s newest Community Improvement District (CID) is in this southwest Georgia city, specifically
the Westover commercial area— one of the region’s
most important industrial hubs. The Albany Westover
CID is only the second of its kind in the state outside
of the Atlanta metro. With unanimous City Council
support and more than 70 percent of area company
owners voting for approval, the Albany business community is investing in its own success, with early projects including the installation of extra security cameras
and sidewalk upgrades.
Brunswick While typical debates over public transportation revolve around buses and trains, residents of this
coastal city are engaging in an innovative new program
that more closely resembles Uber or Lyft. Brunswick
Breeze is the city’s new, on-demand ride sharing service,
allowing residents to order rides around town straight
from an app. In-town trips are capped at $3, with discounts for seniors and students, while longer rides to the
airport run at just $12. The program draws rave reviews
from users, particularly College of Coastal Georgia students. If that early success continues, Glynn County officials say they will investigate expanding the program’s
hours and service area beyond its current parameters.
Dalton It may come as a shock to Metro Atlanta readers, where gym memberships start at $30 per month
on the low end, but residents in this north Georgia
city have access to a state-of-the-art fitness facility
completely free of charge. The Mack Gaston Community Center was closed for one day in October,
but it was to bring in $70,000 worth of brand-new
gym equipment from stair machines and treadmills
to weight machines and free weights. And that’s not
all. Starting in January the rec center plans to offer a
senior fitness club— also for free.
sport, with more than 2.5 billion fans worldwide. But
while it’s massive in other former British colonies like
India, Pakistan and Australia, it never quite caught
on in the U.S. But that’s starting to change, and a new
stadium in west Georgia could put the Peach State at
the forefront of a cricket boom. DAS Cricket Academy
and the NJ Blackcaps, a professional cricket club in
New Jersey, are building a brand new 10,500 seat cricket
stadium in LaGrange, part of a mixed-use development
called Sola. Only the fourth cricket stadium in the
country, the LaGrange Cricket Stadium has the ability
to expand to 20,000 seats, can also be configured for
soccer matches and will host local and international
competitions once completed in early 2027.
Perry The Georgia National Fair is the state’s largest,
drawing more than 500,000 visitors each year over the
course of its ten-day run each October. And all those
attendees represent a financial windfall for Middle
Georgia. The fair generates about $6 million in direct
revenue, which means it rakes in some $1 million in
sales tax. Officials from the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter estimate that the fair has an
economic impact of more than $35 million for Perry
and surrounding area, with jam-packed hotels and
restaurants full of visitors an indication of its success.
Watkinsville This Oconee County city made mobility
a key priority with an emphasis on walkability and
connecting neighborhoods to bring the city together.
That mission has coalesced in the form of the Watkinsville Trail Network, which seeks to create a continuous
bike-pedestrian route linking the historic downtown to
several parks and neighborhoods. The latest addition
to that ambitious plan is the Relay Connector, extending the current path to the Watkinsville city limits and
then to Wire Park, also running past Thomas Farm
Preserve and Watkinsville First Baptist Church. Mayor
Brian Brodrick says, “Like a great relay, this is a team
effort with Watkinsville First Baptist and Gibbs Capital
to create a win for Watkinsville... It’s safer, it reduces
local car trips and it strengthens our sense of place.”
If you’ve got news from your local community
to share with our readers, please email us.
phickey@jamesmagazinega.com
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