County celebrates expansion at Granville Athletic Park

OXFORD — An hour before Granville County's 275th Anniversary celebration began Saturday, county officials gathered to dedicate and officially open the Phase 3 expansion of Granville Athletic Park.

The addition includes six tennis courts, two sand volleyball courts, corn hole pads, a fitness station, inclusive playground equipment, a shelter area with restrooms and open green space. There are plans to add nine holes to the disc golf course.

The expansion started eight years ago, when the county looked to acquire 11 acres to hold all the ideas for Phase 3.

Sue Hinman, chair of the Granville County Commissioners, said at the ceremony the project couldn't have been completed without several grants. The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund gave $300,000 and the National Parks Service Land and Water Conservation Fund provided $250,000,

The U.S. Tennis Association and the U.S. Tennis Association Southern combined grants totaled $70,000.

Local Boy Scout Charles Cease built wooden benches for the tennis court area as part of his Eagle Scout project. The Oxford Tennis Association donated light pole padding, scoreboards and trash receptacles for the courts.

Members of the Oxford Tennis Association took to the courts on Saturday to try out the new facility.