Canton Notes

Springtime is an especially happy time for those who love to play in the dirt, and if there is anyone who loves to play in the dirt, it's the members of the Ball Ground Garden Club (Anetsa-Ga-Da). Members have been busy getting ready for the 6th Annual Plant Sale and Festival on May 21, which will be held at the Ball Ground Botanical Garden, 215 Va...

 Given the misinformation being spread about these cameras and the legal process tied to them, it is a good time to review what the law is — and what it is not. Myth No. 1: You can only get a ticket if the lights are flashing.Not in the City of Canton. The area designated as a school zone is a school zone for the entire school day. The flashin...

Commemorating and studying the often overlooked role of women in American history first began as a week of national celebration in 1982. Since 1987, March has been designated Women's History Month, which is a time to honor and acknowledge the historic, societal, and cultural contributions of women in the U.S. The 2022 Women's History Month theme "P...

 Ball Ground is off to a great start this year. In January, we welcomed two new council members, Dennis Nelson and Kristine Rogers, and Mayor A. R. (Rick) Roberts, III, is back for another term. Vicki Benefield was sworn in as council member last November to fill the unexpired term of Frank Homiller. Even though Benefield, Rogers, and Nelson h...

Another new year is well underway in the Coolest Small Town in America, and it's off to a great start. I am honored and excited to announce the City of Canton has received the 2022 Visionary City Award from the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and Georgia Trend magazine. The award recognizes cities that have exhibited success in planning and for...

The team at the City of Canton has all eyes on projects that benefit the community in 2022. As we welcome the new year, here are some of the things we're most excited about.Sandy McGrew, Ward 1"In 2021, City Council formed an Environmental & Sustainability Board. I'm eager to help build the purpose and process of this board and its goals. I hop...

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind" is a line from the famous song, "Auld Lang Syne," written by Robert Burns in 1788. When translated into standard English, "Auld Lang Syne" has several different meanings: "old long since," "days gone by," or "old times." As we look back on the not-so-distant "old times" of Ball Ground,...

Solvitur ambulando. It is solved by walking. We've all been there. Maybe it was a work issue. Maybe it was a family disagreement. Maybe it was when you had an article due for Canton Family Life, and you were right up against a deadline. We've all been at that point where we need to put our feet on the ground and go for a walk. Fresh air, sunshine (...

Fall has arrived, and with it comes changes to our weather with opportunities to enjoy cooler temps outdoors. There's no better place to do that than Ball Ground. You're invited to enjoy the lovely Ball Ground Botanical Garden. It's a great place to take those long overdue family photos or just sit and relax. If you're into hiking, then you will de...

 As you may have heard, the City of Canton is in the process of purchasing the remaining 325 acres of undeveloped property at The Bluffs that surrounds the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir. Pending the final survey and title work, the purchase will hopefully be completed by the time this article is published. Originally intended as a technology par...

The newly appointed Canton Cultural Arts Commission (CCAC) plans to use public art in parks, at events, and through other community art initiatives to "art-ify" the city at large. "Art-ify" is a fun and creative term meaning to make more beautiful and meaningful through art. "Art can and should enhance Canton and the lives of its residents and visi...

On September 3, City of Holly Springs elected officials, staff, and project partners broke ground on the Holly Springs Town Center near the intersection of Hickory Road and Holly Springs Parkway. The long-anticipated new development will further energize downtown Holly Springs with a walkable, Main Street-inspired destination that weaves together c...

The term "economic development" is broad and holds different meanings for different people. Just a few weeks ago, I met a Cherokee County resident while hanging out at Canton's Green Line Brewery. While we were discussing City of Canton goals, he kept putting "economic development" in air quotes whenever he said it. He had fallen for a couple of co...

Have you ever been asked where you would like to be in five years? It's something to think about. After setting your goal, then you set out on the journey. As many of our elected officials did before them, Ball Ground Mayor A.R. (Rick) Roberts and the City Council continue to plan. Every five years, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs requi...

 The love and support that has been shown to the families of Councilwoman Karen Barnett and Officer Joe Burson over the past several weeks has been nothing short of incredible. We are grateful to our neighbors — those in our backyard and those across the nation — who have reached out to offer their condolences and asked what they could do to f...

The City of Canton recently held three public readings to adopt the millage rate and prepare for the final adoption of the 2022 operating budget. In many respects, this is one of the most important formal processes that I along with the City Council and City staff follow each year to ensure tax dollars are allocated and spent in the most responsibl...

If this article was titled "Planning and Zoning," you wouldn't have read this far. But please continue — it will be worth your time.If you are reading this, there's a good chance you may have also read a recent headline proclaiming, "Canton May Scrap Planning Commission." When the article is hidden behind a paywall, people understandably react to t...

 People often say, "This won't matter a hundred years from now." While it's true that a lot of things won't matter, many things will. Keeping a record of important events is a must. Otherwise, younger generations will not know how things came to be. During my 36 years of being the Ball Ground city clerk, I've referred back to minutes of previo...

 On September 17, the Canton City Council approved a Personal Transportation Vehicle (PTV) ordinance, which can be found under chapter 58, article V, section 58 of the City's Municipal Code. If you don't want to look it up, here are fast facts at a glance: What is a PTV?A personal transportation vehicle is defined as all electric- and gasoline...

The City of Holly Springs has been awarded funding to complete Phase III of its Holly Springs Parkway Widening Project from the State Road and Tollway Authority through the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank. Phase III, identified as a priority in the City's most recent 5-year Capital Improvement Plan, will widen Holly Springs Parkway from ...