City Unveils New Sidewalk

The city of Toccoa unveils a new sidewalk designed to increase pedestrian access along Big A Road.

On Monday, the city held a ribbon cutting and walk on the new sidewalk between Fernside Drive and the Wal-Mart area on Big A Road.

Toccoa Mayor Evan Hellenga said the city is pleased to have the increased access for walkers along Big A Road that will now provide service all the way down to the area of Wal-Mart.

“I think it is a safety issue,” said Hellenga. “It gives folks an opportunity to walk safely and also to get from Point A to Point B. I think it is going to be a good thing and it is going to get more and more use as time goes on.”

The city spent some $300,000 or so on the sidewalk.

Some of the money came from the state in the form of Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant, or LMIG, funds.

The rest of the money came from the city’s Commission Reserve Account.

Monday’s ribbon cutting and walk on the new sidewalk was also the first activity for Toccoa’s celebration of Georgia Cities Week this week.

Georgia Cities Week, sponsored each year by the Georgia Municipal Association, is designed as an opportunity to showcase and celebrate cities and the services they provide.

Today from 3 to 5 p.m., there will be a “Touch a Truck” event in the First Citizens Bank parking lot across from the Schaefer Center at the corner of Broad and Doyle streets in downtown Toccoa.

Police cars, fire trucks, and other city vehicles will be available for children to look at “up close” and there will also be giveaways for the children.

Finally on Friday, the city will have Customer Appreciation Day from 10 a.m. to noon in the lobby of City Hall.

The whole community is invited to attend that.