Here We Grow! New Developments in the City of Canton The mayor and council of the City of Canton recently signed an agreement to purchase the historic Canton High School/Building C property from the Cherokee County Board of Education. This purchase includes the building, restored over a decade ago by the Cherokee School District, as well as the parking surrounding the building and an additional parking lot at the corner of Archer Street and West Marietta/Church Street with 62 parking spaces that would be preserved for public parking. The newly acquired building will be repurposed as the new Canton City Hall. The facility has been well maintained by the Cherokee School District and includes room for future departmental growth. The building contains one of the best public meeting rooms in the County in the former Canton High School Auditorium, most recently used as the Districts Board Auditorium. The City of Canton listed several downtown projects as part of the SPLOST VII funding cycle. Of these, three specific projects are addressed through the purchase of the former Canton High School/Building C property: Create a police department facility that will allow the agency to grow, provide additional security features for City personnel and resources, and keep the police department in the heart of the city Look for property to preserve and expand parking options for the historic downtown commercial district. Preserve historic resources in the downtown area to maintain the integrity of Cantons heritage. The current City Hall, located at 151 Elizabeth Street, was beautifully preserved by the City when it was purchased from First Baptist Church of Canton over a decade ago. This facility will receive slight remodels and serve as a new City of Canton Public Safety and Municipal Court Building. Canton Police operations will move from approximately 10,000 square feet located in the old post office on East Marietta Street to a building with nearly 30,000 feet. These projects will be paid for by utilizing funds from the SPLOST VII approved by voters last November, which included nearly $7 million for general government buildings. The former police department building on East Marietta Street will be repurposed in the coming months, though no announcement is currently ready. The parking around this facility, nearly forty spaces, will be opened to the public for additional parking that is more accessible to downtown restaurants and shops. Along with the development agreement for the project at the former Grammar School and Mill Office on Academy Street, these moves will grow and preserve an additional 250 publicly available parking spaces on the southern side of downtown. Additionally, the Canton Textile Mills have been purchased for redevelopment. Alpharetta-based Penn Hodge Properties plans to redevelop the thirty-plus acre area into a mixed-use development to include retail, restaurants, offices, and a residential component. More details are soon to come about the site plans.
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce Teen Leadership Class of 2018 Congratulations to the 17th Annual Teen Leadership Cherokee (TLC) Class. Of the eighty Cherokee County high school sophomores who applied, nineteen students were recognized for completing the program. The mission of Teen Leadership Cherokee is to develop the knowledge and leadership skills of young people in Cherokee County, so they may confidently become our leaders of tomorrow. For more information on the Teen Leadership Cherokee Class of 2019, please visit CherokeeChamber.com.
Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority (CCWSA) Announces Contest Winners Johnston Elementary second grader Carly Timbol was the winner of the kindergarten - fourth grade photography contest category with her photograph entitled, Sassy Snowman. Freedom MS sixth grader Elysium Virnich Guillen was the winner of the fifth - eighth grade photography contest category with her photograph entitled, Under the Bridge. The theme for the photography contest was Water in Its Various Forms. The students received a framed copy of their winning photograph and a check for fifty dollars. The photographs are displayed at the CCWSA main office, Environmental Affairs office, Rose Creek Water Reclamation Facility (WRF), Fitzgerald Creek WRF, Etowah River Water Treatment Facility, and H.Q. Lathem Reservoir. Woodstock HS Senior Isabelle Wright won the company slogan contest. Her winning slogan was Cherokees Safe and Sustainable Water Begins Here! She also received a check for fifty dollars.
CCEF Celebration of Education Gala The Cherokee County Educational Foundation (CCEF) recently held its fourth annual Celebration of Education Gala, which was presented by Childrens Health Care of Atlanta. It had the largest attendance yet, and it successfully raised more than $80,000 for Impact grants to be given to teachers, assistance with coaches/guidance staff for special needs students, and course unit recovery to continue improvement on graduation rates throughout the School District. Co-Chairs Amanda Arnold of Credit Union of Georgia and Debbie Rabjohn, a school district parent, along with Kevin Williams, vice-chair of the Foundation recognized William Hasty, Jr. (Billy) and Dr. Susan Buice as the Alumni and Alumnae of the Year, which was a culmination of their many years of service to the public schools of Cherokee County. Because Dr. Buice has also served as a teacher in the District, she was inducted into the Educator Hall of Fame.Attendees enjoyed a cocktail hour while Sequoyah High School Orchestra students played, as the guests perused silent auction items including vacation homes, Porsche Driving Experiences, and dinner parties with Superintendent Dr. Brian Hightower (the honorary Gala chair) and School Board Chair Kyla Cromer. The dinner was catered by Carrabbas. The entertainment for the evening was a top talent act from each of the Districts high schools vying for a $1,000.00 prize awarded to the school judged to be the best performance of the evening in a CCSDs Got Talent competition. The winning act was Cherokee High Schools Elizabeth Meeks and Branden Blackwells performance of When I Was Your Man.
Farm Bureau Encourages Farm Owners to Apply for Centennial Farm Awards The Cherokee County Farm Bureau encourages owners of farms continuously operating for 100 years or more to apply to be recognized by the Georgia Centennial Farm Program. Since farmers make up only about one percent of our countrys population, a farm that has been in operation for at least 100 years deserves the recognition the Georgia Centennial Farm Program offers, said William Grizzle Cherokee County Farm Bureau President. Applications for the 2018 awards must be postmarked by May 1. If you are interested in applying for recognition in 2018, visit GeorgiaSHPO.org/centennialfarms to download an application, or contact Sara Love at 770-389-7856 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Northwest Corridor Express Lanes Opening This Summer The Northwest Corridor Express Lanes will improve travel in the I-75/I-575 corridor by adding 29.7 miles of express lanes along I-75 from Akers Mill Road to Hickory Grove Road, and along I-575 from I-75 to Sixes Road. Two Express Lanes will be built to the west of the existing lanes along I-75 between I-285 and I-575. From that interchange, one express lane will be added along I-75N to Hickory Grove Road, and one express lane will be added along I-575 to Sixes Road. The Express Lanes are expected to save drivers up to 43 minutes on their daily commute.To use the Express Lanes, drivers must have a registered Peach Pass, which can be purchased at PeachPass.com. For more questions, or to stay updated on the project, visit DOT.GA.gov/northwestcorridor, or call 678-486-3767.
First Citizen of Cherokee County Named The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce recently announced that Scott McElroy is the recipient of its 43rd First Citizen of Cherokee County Award. McElroy is a lifelong resident of Cherokee County.McElroy served in the U.S. Navy as an intelligence specialist, and holds five military occupational specialties: infantryman, calvary scout, intelligence analyst, geospatial imagery analyst, and counterintelligence special agent. In 2000, he transferred to the Georgia National Guard, and received a Purple Heart Medal of Honor after the Humvee he was traveling in was struck with an IED while on patrol. When not deployed or on active duty, Scott served as a deputy with the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office. He has also raised funds for Georgia combat wounded vets/law enforcement/firefighters. Other credits McElroy has on his resume include co-founder of the Georgia National Guard Family Support Foundation Half Marathon, Ruck March and 5k, which raises funds to assist soldiers families while one spouse is away serving the Georgia National Guard; vice president of Georgias Wounded Heroes; Georgia National Cemetery Advisory Council in Cherokee County; and he continually serves his community by speaking to organizations such as the Boy Scouts, September 11th Memorial Events, Veterans Day programs, etc. The title of First Citizen of Cherokee County is bestowed upon a resident of Cherokee County who has resided in the county for a minimum of five years and has shown significant meritorious service to his/her community through family, civic, and/or religious involvement. A panel of out-of-town judges reviews the accomplishments of each applicant, and the winner is chosen based upon merit.
Discover Historic Canton Homes and Sites at the Georgia Trust Expedition In this day-long Expedition, experience the rich history of this former mill town, and explore a variety of beautifully restored homes from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, located in the towns National Register Historic District. Explore downtown buildings along the bustling Main Street and intriguing historic sites including Canton Grammar School, a former Georgia Trust Places in Peril site. Sites on the Expedition include Morgans Home (Mike and Jamie Morgan), the Jones-Johnston Home, City Hall, the historic Court House, the Cherokee County Arts Center, the Lovelady-Homiller House (Ball Ground), the historic School Board Buildings (Building A & B), Jones & Cloud Insurance, the historic Jones Mercantile Building, and the Magruder Home.A closing reception will be held at the Rock Barn (658 Marietta Highway). Information and tickets can be found at GeorgiaTrust.org/tours-events/expeditions/.
Join Cantons New Cornhole League! The seven-week leagues include a season ending tournament with a championship trophy and other prizes. The qualifying teams from each location will be eligible to compete in the larger City Championship with a chance to win additional prizes and get your team name on the cup!The season starts on March 20 and ends on May 15. Games will be at either 6:45pm, 7:30pm, or 8:15pm and will be played in downtown Canton at Cannon Park (130 E. Main Street). There will be three divisions: Beginner (hits the board 1-2 times per 4 bags), Intermediate (hits the board consistently and a few in the hole), and Advanced (all four bags are on the board or in the hole). The team captain will choose your division when signing up. Please keep in mind that there may not be separate divisions at smaller locations, and if there is not a minimum of six teams per division, divisions will be combined into one. Please make sure you are signed up for the correct location/division before the season begins. All team members will receive a shirt. Players not on the roster by the close of registration might not receive a shirt.Games are scored to 21, and match-ups are the best of three games. Teams will have one match-up per week at any of the times previously listed. You can review the complete list of rules, learn additional details, and register your team by visiting CornholeAtl.com.
Canton News to Know The City of Canton Mayor and Council recently met during their annual retreat to set priorities for the year. In 2018, the Canton City Council will focus on these items:The Jones Building - Utilize the historic Jones Building as a focal point for Canton, and to provide space as a cultural arts and activities center that will benefit the local community.Canton Riverwalk - Develop a system of public space opportunities along the Etowah River to include potential walkways, connections among parks and commercial areas, and inclusive of resource expansion along the waterfront.Planning & Development - Establish best practices for sustainable growth and development within the City of Canton that adds to the overall value of the community and fit within the vision of Canton in a manner that is easy to understand, is transparent, and provides opportunities for increasing quality and diversity in developed projects.
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