Peach County Parks and Recreation unveils newly renovated gymnasium

FORT VALLEY, Ga. — The Peach County Parks and Recreation Department unveiled the newly refurbished Old Peach County High School Gymnasium during a re-dedication ceremony at the Peach Pit Recreation Center on Thursday, July 2.

The old gymnasium, originally built in the late 1970s, has been fully renovated, which includes new floors, fresh paint, painted bleachers, a new HVAC system, and a mural honoring Peach County’s history.

Bruce Mackey, Director of the Peach County Parks and Recreation Department, said this re-dedication ceremony is a way to honor those who came before. 

“Every town has that gym—not the new one with the pristine backboards and sprawling parking lots—no, I mean the old one. The one that felt just a little too small when that rivalry game came to town. The one with the concrete bleachers that boomed back at you when you stood up to cheer. A floor that carried the echoes of decades of sneakers, sweat, and community pride. The kind of gym that got so loud on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday night, you could swear the walls were shaking. That was the gym where everybody knew everybody,” Mackey said. “Tonight, we aren’t just re-dedicating a building. We’re honoring that history. By transforming the Old Peach County High School Gymnasium into the newly renovated recreation center that we call the Peach Pit. We are making sure that the heart of this community keeps beating right on these floors for a new generation.”

Mackey invited former Peach County High School coaches Maxine Cherry and Rickey Wray to be a part of the rededication and reminisced about the years spent coaching at Peach County High School. Also invited was Peach County High School Football superfan, Tim Wilson, who hasn’t missed a game in over 50 years.

Each reminisced about previous games, both wins and losses, and the memories that were made within the gymnasium.

Mackey took a moment to thank the Peach County Board of Commissioners, as well as County Administrator Jill Bowen and previous County Administrator April Howard, for their support on the project. He also recognized the artist of the mural, Earl Freeman.

“An undertaking like this doesn’t happen by accident, it takes a village, an immense amount of hard work and a shared vision. I want to extend a massive thank you to the county leadership that paved the way,” Mackey said. “A project of this scale requires incredible heavy lifting behind the scenes. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our building superintendent Ryan Jones, and our Public Works Director Bobby Cowart for turning blueprints into a reality. Also, you might not know this person, but Mr. Earl Freeman from Warner Robins, who took a blank canvas and turned it into a work of art, he brought a vision to life.”