YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK IN GWINNETT COUNTY - SPLOST: Harbins Park

Gwinnett County just celebrated the opening of it's lattest park.

Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation celebrated the grand opening of Gwinnett's largest park to date, Harbins Park, on Saturday, March 21. The festivities included a ribbon cutting, kids' activities, pony rides, and bike demonstrations.

Harbins Park totals 1,960 acres, with this first phase encompassing the 1,289-acre passive portion of the park. It features a 4.35-mile paved multi-purpose trail and miles of soft surface trails that include seven miles for horseback riding, seven miles for mountain biking, and 4.5 miles for hiking enthusiasts to enjoy. The park also has a tri-level playground, a large, rustic pavilion that will be available for rentals, restrooms, and an equestrian-only parking area.

Phase I of the park's design and construction totaled $4.5 million and was made possible through the 2001 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Construction was managed by Moreland Altobelli & Associates and the contractor was PatMac Contracting Company. A second, future phase is in the master planning stage and will include more active elements of a community park.

Harbins Park is located at 2995 Luke Edwards Road in Dacula. For more information, call 770.822.8840 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.