Historic Jones Building Sold to The Mill on Etowah Developers The City of Canton recently announced that its Downtown Development Authority (DDA) signed a contract for the sale of the Historic Jones Building to developers Penn Hodge and Grant Schmeelk for $2.2M. The firm, which is responsible for the redevelopment of The Mill on Etowah in downtown Canton, is planning to transform the Jones Building into a mixed-use space that will include restaurants, retail establishments, and flexible workspace solutions for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Hodge and Schmeelk plan to enlist Kandace and Rob Walker-Bunda of Bunker Design to create a vision for this historic building. They will work with the City of Canton to ensure that any exterior work is in line with the City’s vision and commitment to historic preservation standards. Interior modifications will bring the building into current code compliance.
Transportation Master Plan City of Canton Needs Your Input The City of Canton has launched an interactive presentation to teach citizens about the current transportation status of the City, its completed transportation projects, and its ideas for future plans. After watching the presentation, you can take a survey and pinpoint on a map transportation concerns, suggestions, and comments.Access the presentation at FrameVR.io/cantontmp or go directly to the map at WikiMapping.com/Canton-Transportation-Master-Plan.html.
Cherokee County School District Announcements Two First-Place Winners at State Technology CompetitionDavid Holbrook of Woodstock MS (Mobile Apps category) and Marissa Migneco of Etowah HS (Graphic Design category) won first-place state honors at this year’s Georgia Student Technology Competition, which offers students in grades 3-12 the opportunity to showcase their skills through 16 categories and vie for honors at regional and state fairs. Student Wins Award at State Science and Engineering Fair E.T. Booth MS 7th-grader Pradhyumna Vasishta earned first place in the junior division at the state fair and won a Broadcom Masters nomination. The Broadcom competition, sponsored by the Society for Science & the Public, is the nation’s premier science fair competition for middle school students.Senior Wins $25,000 Local ScholarshipThis year’s Jason T. Dickerson Family Foundation scholarship was limited to students planning a career in veterinary medicine. Keira McHugh of River Ridge HS is the Class of 2022 scholarship recipient. She plans to pursue a career as a veterinarian in a rural area and will use the funds toward her education at UGA.Creekview HS Senior Named U.S. Presidential ScholarTy Hubert has been named a U.S. Presidential Scholar. Only 161 of the more than 3 million graduating seniors in the nation’s Class of 2022 earn this prestigious title, and he is one of only three in Georgia. Hubert will receive an invitation to an all-expenses paid trip to the White House as part of the honor. He will be attending the U.S. Air Force Academy in the fall to further his education. Cherokee HS Senior Earns Georgia Award of ExcellenceClass of 2022’s Sarah Liebert earned the award presented by the Georgia Department of Education to recognize graduating seniors who have overcome special needs to achieve academic and/or extracurricular accomplishments.Liebert, who is legally blind, is ranked in the top 16% of her class and is an honors and advanced placement student. A talented musician, she is a member of the school chorus and marching band’s color guard. During her junior year, she was selected as a vocal finalist for the Georgia Governor’s Honors program. She plans to study music education at Berry College and has earned more than $29,000 in scholarships.Students Earn State Literary HonorsTome Literacy Society is a national organization dedicated to promoting reading among 4th-12th-grade students through club activities, community service, and competition. Students work all year on projects and papers to submit for the Tome literary competition based on books read from an “It List” of 20 books. Creekview HS senior Asha-Lee Smith (top) earned first place in Theme Essay, won the $500 Dale Pratt Memorial Scholarship, and was inducted into the Tau Omicron Mu Epsilon Honor Society. Teasley MS’s Aisha Garcia (bottom) placed first in the Fan Art competition. Creekview HS Senior Earns National Merit ScholarshipJustin Bolsen is among the top 2,500 seniors in the U.S. to earn the $2,500 scholarship awarded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. He was selected from more than 15,000 outstanding finalists who made it through the initial rigorous selection process for the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Merit Scholars are selected based on their accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Bolsen plans to study education at Brown University.Creekview HS Teacher Wins Statewide Hero AwardGrace Ed Technologies has named Savannah Porter as one of the three winners of its 2022 Teacher Heroes Awards. The education technology company accepted nominations statewide of K-12 teachers who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication, effort, character, and ability over the past school year. One hundred highly qualified teachers were nominated, with 15 finalists selected and then narrowed to the three winners. Each winner will receive a $1,000 award.Students Earn State Honors at Georgia PTA Reflections Fine Arts ContestThe annual competition offers students in all grades and abilities the opportunity to create original works of art in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. This year's theme was “I Will Change the World By...” Nine CCSD students won first-place awards, and five of those were named the overall state winner in their category: - Zachary Gonzalez, Etowah HS, Grade 9, Photography *Overall State Winner - Rachel Lee, River Ridge HS, Grade 9, Visual Arts *Overall State Winner - Ava Matthews, Johnston ES, Grade 2, Dance *Overall State Winner- Caitlien Nguyen, Creekview HS, Grade 12, Music *Overall State Winner - Afton Sheldon, Knox ES STEM Academy, Grade 5, Dance- Pranav Vasishta, Clark Creek ES STEM Academy, Grade 3, Photography *Overall State Winner - Megan Weber, Bascomb ES, Grade 4, Photography- Ryan Weber, Etowah HS, Special Artist, Photography *Overall State Winner - Tessa Wieland, Little River ES, Kindergarten, Literature
Cherokee Parks Design Contract and Master Plans Approved The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an agreement for the design of the future park on Highway 92 at Hunt Road. The 52-acre parcel, which was part of the Southwest Cherokee Parks and Trails Plan, is a combination of what was known as Parcels 1 and 2 in the master planning process.Plans include a recreation/community center fronting Highway 92, sports fields, hiking trails, a playground, and open lawn. The $175,000 cost for designing and constructing Phase 1 is fully funded, through $2 million in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Phase 1 includes the initial design and construction of parking, restrooms, playground, trails, and the open lawn area.Phase 2 of the project is expected to focus on the recreation/community center, tree canopy walk, and sports fields. The $27 million needed for the complete development of Phase 2 will include funding from recreation and parks impact fees. A portion of the funding required is included in the proposed project list for SPLOST 2024. Commissioners also recently got their first look at the full Northeast Cherokee Parks Master Plans. The County engaged TSW last year to create master plans for three parcels including the 102-acre E.W. and Edith Cochran Park, the 24-acre Long Swamp Creek Recreation Area, and the 538-acre Yellow Creek Road Conservation Area. The Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the three parks master plans as part of the Cherokee Recreation, Parks Green Space & Trails Master Plan. The proposals for Long Swamp Creek include an open lawn, walking trails, a wildflower meadow, and a feature to highlight the Native American settlement. The plan also shows a picnic area, orchard and pollinator garden, archery range, and a visitor’s center and restrooms.The Yellow Creek Road Conservation Area will feature separate equestrian/hiking trails and mountain biking trails. The drastic topography changes on the property make it ideal for trails. The concept plan also calls for primitive campsites. E.W. and Edith Cochran Park concept designs include two open green space areas, including one with a loop trail and fitness stations, a playground, two dog parks, and an 18-hole disc golf course. Due to its proximity to Free Home ES, the park offers a partnership opportunity with the school district to utilize an outdoor classroom for educational purposes. The parcel also features Buzzard Flapper Pond, providing the opportunity for a fishing pier. Rough cost estimates for the design and construction of the three parks is $24.8 million. Completion time is dependent on funding source identification and allocation.
Local Businesses Join Forces With American Legion To Give Back to Homeless Veterans (2) American Legion Thomas M. Brady Post 45, parent company of Cherokee County Homeless Veterans Program (CCHVP), will partner with Christian Brothers Automotive and Patriot Towing to expand the veteran vehicle donation program and provide further offerings to local veterans.The CCHVP works to provide donated vehicles to disabled veterans at the 70% VA service-connected disability rating. Since the start of the program in 2018, the CCHVP has donated 33 vehicles to veterans in need.Through these partnerships, CCHVP will expand its ability to acquire and repair non-operational donated vehicles, since Patriot Towing will tow the vehicles as well as offer tax-deducted services on all vehicle pick-ups through the CCHVP program.Christian Brothers Automotive, which currently donates roughly 1,000 vehicles a year to those in need, will provide pre-inspections of all the donated vehicles and will work closely with CCHVP to assist in locating vehicles to donate. In addition, Christian Brothers Automotive will also provide free services and repairs to veterans in need.For more information about the vehicle donation program, visit CherokeeHomelessVeterans.com. To donate your vehicle, please contact Jim Lindenmayer, director of CCHVP, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Business Is Blooming Art Contest Winner Jack Shampine, owner of J. Lyndon Financial, painted the winning entry for the Business Is Blooming art contest, which was sponsored by Menagerie on Main. The contest was open to all downtown Canton businesses. Shampine’s abstract painting, entitled Univeter, was the first he has ever attempted. He says the piece represents the spring colors he and his daughter experience on their daily drive to her school. As the winner of the contest, Shampine chose to donate the $450 proceeds to The Theodora Dance Conservatory to help students who receive full merit, need-based scholarships.
Canton’s City Planner Selected for 2022 GeorgiaForward Young Gamechangers Cohort GeorgiaForward recently selected Canton City Planner Brittany Anderson as one of the 50 evolving professionals to serve the organization’s 2022 Young Gamechangers (YG) program. YG is a unique leadership action program hosted by GeorgiaForward, a nonprofit organization administrated by the Georgia Municipal Association. Young Gamechangers brings professionals from across the state to work on the persistent challenges of one Georgia community.Anderson is an urban planning professional who began consulting with The Collaborative at the City of Sandy Springs first as a planning technician then planner and with Jacobs Engineering Group at the City of Chamblee as a senior planner before joining the City of Canton. Last month, Dalton-Whitfield County hosted the YG. Dalton leaders came up with four challenge questions that the 2022 cohort were charged with answering during the six months they will spend developing specific, actionable recommendations for the community. These questions primarily pertained to redevelopment, education, and community engagement. The cohorts’ work will culminate with a community presentation of their findings and recommendations in late September.To learn more about GeorgiaForward visit, GeorgiaForward.org. For more information about the Georgia Municipal Association, visit GaCities.com.
Cherokee By Choice 2.0: A Launchpad for Big, Bold Action Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED) recently announced the launch of Cherokee By Choice (CBC) 2.0 – a strategic plan that guides Cherokee’s economic development efforts forward over the next five years. Much has been accomplished since the launch of Opportunity Cherokee in 2015 (the county’s first strategic plan for economic development) and the Cherokee By Choice Initiative in 2018 (COED’s first public-private partnership). These achievements include over $436 million in capital investment, the creation of more than 2,000 jobs, completion of Cherokee 75 Corporate Park, the Cherokee Workforce Collaborative, the Fresh Start Cherokee Program, The Circuit Woodstock (Cherokee’s first coworking space), the North Atlanta Venture Mentoring Service, Be Pro Be Proud Georgia, the Cherokee Film Summit, and the Forget the Commute Campaign. Building upon this foundation, CBC 2.0 was developed in partnership with Boyette Strategic Advisors, an economic development and public policy consulting firm.CBC 2.0 was based on hours of engagement with Cherokee leadership and nearly 3,500 online survey participants, including extensive data collection obtained through a series of discovery sessions, one-on-one interviews, and research. As a result, six high growth target sectors were identified:• Advanced manufacturing with a focus on green and sustainable products and medical devices • Headquarters, recruitment of both corporate and regional• Technology, including cybersecurity and data centers• Film and digital entertainment, including film production studios and video game programming/development • Entrepreneurs/startups that specialize in technology and creative services • Commercial developers that target Class A office space, mixed-use, and a hotel/conference center The plan also features four strategic goal areas:• Ensure that Cherokee has attractive and connected places, including the development of marketable sites and buildings, while enhancing livability assets.• Build an educated and talented workforce to meet the needs of new and existing businesses.• Cultivate innovating and enterprising business, which will result in a more diversified business culture that supports new and legacy manufacturers, corporate and regional headquarters, and technology companies. • Retain a vibrant and inviting brand identity both internally and externally.Identifying product for future industrial, office, and commercial development is crucial to the success of CBC 2.0, which will help diversify the tax base and drive down Cherokee’s out-commute. Even though the percentage has declined by 3% since the first strategic plan, 77% of Cherokee’s highly educated workforce still commute out of the county daily. As part of the strategy’s next phase, COED will focus its efforts on keeping talent local through projects such as the Canton Corporate Park – a development that is expected to become another premier destination for companies looking to relocate. The park’s master plan includes two large pad sites with the ability to accommodate more than 150,000 square feet, as well as flex space sites fronting Highway 20.Over the next five years and beyond, COED will continue partnering with the county and cities on infrastructure improvements and readying sites for sustainable, corporate growth. This collaboration will ensure that Cherokee remains a competitive, highly desirable location of choice. To learn more or read a summary of the CBC 2.0 strategic plan, visit CherokeeGa.org.
State Awards Cherokee $3.9 Million for Road Project Gov. Brian Kemp recently announced a $17 million investment in transportation infrastructure projects across Georgia, and Cherokee County will receive $3.9 million from the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB) for Technology Ridge Parkway Phase I, known historically as the Heard Road Extension. The project is in partnership with the City of Canton, the Cherokee Office of Economic Development, and Cherokee County.The total award amount is a $2.9 million loan with a five-year repayment schedule and a $1 million grant. Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds are planned to be used to repay the note. This is phase one of a five-phase project that will ultimately connect Bluffs Parkway to the Cherokee County Regional Airport. The project is expected to spur corporate and industry development and bring more jobs to Cherokee County. The new thoroughfare, when complete, will provide easier access from the airport to the businesses in the area.
Cherokee County Firefighters Recognized for Two Awards The Georgia Emergency Medical Services Association (GEMSA) recently recognized 13 Cherokee County firefighters with two statewide awards.The Tim Peebles Champion of Children Excellence and Advocacy Award was presented to Christopher Ginn, Manny Zapeta, Jacob Gunter, and EMS Chief Nate Sullivan with Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services. These firefighters compiled a detailed plan to deliver CPR training to teachers within the school district. The plan included estimated costs, material, time investment, and material needs in order to receive authorization to initiate a CPR/AED/First Aid training blitz to target elementary school staff. With the support of the department and the school district, Ginn, Gunter, and Zapeta were able to move forward with the initiative and have since led a CPR advocacy campaign, training hundreds of teachers and other staff. The Mary Beth Bowns Excellence in Trauma Care Award was presented to Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services including Chris Roberts, William Armstrong, Samuel Lackender, Ethan Sanders, Denver Ice, and EMS Chief Nate Sullivan for their prompt response, assessment, extrication, and treatment of a patient at the scene of an accident, which significantly and positively impacted the patient’s outcome.
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