CLEVELAND, Ga. – Saturday (May 4) will be a day many White County residents, especially the youngsters, will remember for a lifetime.

At 10 a.m. the county will dedicate the sparkling new Yonah Preserve Ballfield Complex with its four new ballfields and concession stands. Prior to the dedication, proud parents and friends will cheer as the young athletes participate in a “Parade of Athletes.” Local officials will make a few brief remarks and a ribbon cutting ceremony will take place so those who helped make this day possible can take a well-deserved bow.

Then the cry, “PLAY BALL” will be reverberate throughout this beautiful new facility.

How this all came about is a fascinating story. In has to be the greatest land grab since Thomas Jefferson outsmarted old Napoleon and negotiated the Louisiana Purchase – all 827,000 square miles west of the Mississippi River — for the bargain basement price of just $15 million.

The county acquired the 1,000 acres that make up the Yonah Preserve from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for $1. The only caveat was that the county use the land to benefit public health and environment.

The new ballfields are only one example of how the county is fulfilling its promise. There are professionally designed biking trails throughout the property and a beautiful fishing lake that will be open soon and a new football field is expected to be ready later this year.

To get to tomorrow’s dedication ceremony, take Mt. Yonah Drive — accessible from the White County Recreation Department parking lot on Asbestos Road. Shuttles to the ballfield will be available if needed.

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