Hammond Drive planning advances

Sandy Springs officials have approved a “scoping” study with the state and have acquired another property for future improvements to the Hammond Drive corridor from Roswell Road (Ga. 9) to Barfield Road.

The scoping and concept study with the Georgia Department of Transportation will be funded by a $240,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission, according to a staff report prepared for a recent City Council meeting where the work was approved. The grant requires a 20 percent local match by the city.

In related action, the Council approved spending $325,000 to acquire a 62-year-old house and its approximately half-acre lot at 400 Hammond Drive for the future street widening. A purchase contract identifies the seller as Shuisheng Xu. So far, the city has bought seven homes in anticipation of the widening. specifications called for about 1.2 miles of 10-foot-wide concrete trail, elevated wooden boardwalk and a prefabricated steel bridge from the Woodstock Dog Park — also known as “Woofstock Park” — at 150 Dupree Road to Towne Lake Hills South.

The contract also calls for providing two concrete sidewalks along Towne Lake Hills Drive, from the trailhead to Woodstock High School, and from the trailhead to Towne Lake Parkway. With a $215,340 contingency, the project’s total budget is $2.86 million.

To help pay for the project, the city of Woodstock is to reimburse the park bond program $135,675 previously given by the county to the city for the purchase of a house on Pine Hill Drive. The city sold the house after the Downtown Spur Segment of the trail was established next to it.

Ribbon cut for latest Riverwalk extension

Roswell has officially opened Phase 4 of the Riverwalk, a multipurpose greenway that runs along the Chattahoochee River.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place recently at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. The fourth phase of the walk adds about one mile to the greenway, starting at Azalea drive and extending to the Nature Center. Prior phases of the walk took it through Don White, Riverside and Azalea parks.

Earlier this month, the City Council approved a $125,800 contract for design services for the fifth and final phase of the Riverwalk. AEC Inc. is tasked with landscape architecture, engineering and other services for an extension of the Riverwalk boardwalk from the Nature Center to the Gold Branch Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Cobb County.

The Riverwalk project dates to 2000, when Roswell residents approved a bond referendum that included funds to construct a seven-mile greenway along the Chattahoochee with parks, trails and other recreational and educational facilities.

Information: bit.ly/2hOoxGx

UPCOMING

Scribbles and Scrabble. 2 to 4 p.m. today and every Wednesday. Free. Rose Creek Public Library, 4476 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock. All materials will be provided for players and colorers of all skill levels. 770-591-1491, SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org/ rose-creek.

Toddler Time (Lap Sit). 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Free. Buckhead Branch, 269 Buckhead Ave. NE, Atlanta. Interactive stories, songs and more for ages 3 and younger. 404-814-3500, afpls.org.

Santa Science Lab for children in grades K and up. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday. Free. Cumming Library, 585 Dahlonega Road, Cumming. 770-781-9840, forsythpl.org.

Council OKs stormwater improvements, truck

The Powder Springs City Council held a special called meeting recently to approve the following expenditures:

$211,206 for a 2018, instead of a 2017, Mack 25-yard rear-loader sanitation truck from McNeilus Manufacturing for the same price.

$50,000, instead of $46,852, for a Police Department monument sign on Richard D. Sailors Parkway from low bidder R. Henry Inc. due to a misquote. The sign will be backlit, lighted and two-sided like the city sign at New Macland Road.

$31,840 for the low bid offered by Ardito Construction Co. Inc. to complete stormwater improvements on Florence Road at the American Legion and temporarily close that road.

UPCOMING

“Hose Uncoupling” event. 4:30 p.m. today. Free. Main Fire Station, 112 Haynes St., Marietta. With the use of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds, Marietta officials were able to buy four new fire trucks. This event marks their official use. 770-7945509, LWiles@mariettaga.gov.

Santa House by the city of Smyrna and the Smyrna Optimist Club. 6-8 p.m. tonight and Thursday. Free. Aunt Fanny’s Cabin, 2875 Atlanta Road SE, Smyrna. Children are invited to bring their wish lists and have their picture taken with Santa. SmyrnaCity.com.