Construction on a new $11.3 million community center in T.W. Briscoe Park is scheduled to kick off on May 5, Snellville officials have announced. The new facility is a significant community investment and has been in the pipeline for over two decades. "This is a project that has been in the conceptual discussion phase for over 20 years," Mayor Barbara Bender said in a statement obtained by the City of Snellville. "It’s very exciting to get to this point." The upcoming Community Center aims to be a hub for fitness, relaxation, and social gathering.
The proposed community center is expected to sprawl over 34,000 square feet and feature versatile amenities, including two basketball courts with multi-sport play markings, an indoor walking track, an outdoor pavilion two multi-purpose activity rooms, and an aerobics room. Not just a sports complex, the center will also be positioned near the existing Snellville Parks and Recreation office, integrating naturally with the park's other offerings. Goodwin Mills Cawood is tasked with the design, while Place Services, Inc. will handle the actual construction, eyeing completion in the Summer of 2026.
Parks and Recreation Director Lisa A. Platt highlighted the Center's role in promoting holistic well-being for the locals. "With the addition of the T.W. Briscoe Community Center, Snellville Parks and Recreation will be able to elevate our service and programming for the community ..." Platt told the City of Snellville. The project draws its financial backbone primarily from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), supported by Gwinnett County voters in 2023 and complemented by earlier SPLOST funds from 2017.
Visitors of Briscoe Park should anticipate some access changes during the construction phase. East Park Drive will be fully closed from Lenora Church Road to the four-way stop at Sawyer Parkway within the park. Outdoor basketball courts will be shut down starting May 5 to make space for the new development; however, indoor courts will resume service post-completion. Parking for Staley Field will be reallocated to designated areas, and the fitness trail behind the park office may undergo temporary rerouting. For updates on construction and park access, the public can follow Snellville Parks and Recreation's online channels.
To celebrate the commencement of the project, a groundbreaking event has been slated for 4:30 p.m. on May 1 and is open to all interested members of the public. As this long-awaited project inches closer to reality, it promises to enrich the Snellville community with a facility meant to serve their recreational and social needs for many years to come.
