The city of Vidalia will receive a share of over $225 million in grants from the State of Georgia with Vidalia’s portion being $2.2 million.

“We actually applied for the grant some time ago in 2022,” City Manager Nick Overstreet said, “and we were just notified last week of the award.”

Overstreet says the grant money will be used for improvements to the recreation complex on the Ezra Taylor Road including four all-purpose fields that can be used for soccer and football. This will enable the baseball fields to be better maintained year-round at the Ed Smith Complex on Stockyard Road.

Other improvements at the Ezra Taylor site will include a new ADA compliant playground, better parking, and pavement improvements.

“There will be practice fields for all to enjoy whether you’re from Vidalia or visiting,” Overstreet said.

 Overstreet said these funds are not part of the grant money the city has already received that will aid in the development of the new golf course, now officially named Warmouth Sands.

The city will have to add some money to the project, but not nearly as much as it is receiving from the state.

“We’ll have to put in $750,000 from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST),” Overstreet said, “but that will give us a recreation complex improvement of nearly $3 million once the project is completed.”

Overstreet said he doesn’t have a specific timeline for the completion of the project but does expect it to be within 6 – 9 months.