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Pyne Road Park campsites will receive a few upgrades thanks to a grant received by Troup County through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Troup County Manager Eric Mosley informed the Troup County Board of Commissioners the county had received the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant through the National Park Service. The grant was designed for renovations at Pyne Road Park and will be used to upgrade the campsite, Mosley said.

The grant will be used to upgrade the electrical hookups at the campsites for RVs, fire pits, parking pads, the restrooms and to resurface of some of the parking lots.

Mosley said the grant is for $200,000, and there is a $25,000 matching grant needed from the county. He said there are SPLOST dollars available, which are set aside for the match requirement for Pyne Road Park. The board approved using those funds for the project.

Mosley said the funds from the grant are very much-needed for the facilities.

“Our campsites stay full throughout the summer,” he said. “And we’re thankful to be able to have this to be able to improve our facility.”

He said the county would begin working on the upgrades as soon as the funds came in and said the majority of the work would be throughout the summer months. Mosley said the county has started to upgrade the park already since the campsites have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commissioner Lewis Davis said one of the biggest complaints he hears about Pyne Road Park is that the campsites were built for campers in the 1970s.

“To see us be able to upgrade those campgrounds and make it more modernized with electricity is important,” he said. “The electricity side of it is the most important for, I think, the RV. If you’ve got the correct electricity, it makes it much more convenient.”

Additionally, the board approved an application for the 2020-2021 Juvenile Justice Incentive grant through the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.

Mosley said the county had received the grant since 2013, and this past year received about $269,190.

According to county documents, the grant seeks to develop programs that address the needs of youth who are typically committed to the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.

Mosley said the county services about 25 youth and families during the current grant cycle.

“We are very, very thankful for this grant,” he said. “It really helps us to be able to do some really cool things.”

According to documents, during the first year of funding statewide in 2012, a total of 1,122 juveniles were served through community-based services, and by the fifth year, a total of 1,3905 youth were served through community-based services.