Gwinnett County officials gathered in Snellville this week to unveil a newly expanded Lenora Park Community Recreation Center — turning what used to be just a gymnasium into a full-blown activity hub with a dance studio, a pottery studio, a game room, and a catering kitchen, all funded through the county's Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) program.
The park's existing gym, at the 4515 Lenora Church Road entrance in Snellville, has been converted into a larger community recreation center with an updated gymnasium at its core. Around it, the county added a community room with a catering kitchen, a dedicated dance studio, an art room with its own pottery studio, a game room, new restrooms and locker rooms, offices, and a reception area. Outside, crews added a new drop-off area and parking for 73 vehicles.
"A special place in our community for 32 years"
Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said the reopening reflects "years of planning, partnership and investment," adding that the expanded center will help neighbors "stay active, learn new skills and thrive in their community," according to the county's Oct. 20 release announcing the project.
District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins III, whose district includes the park, put it in more personal terms: "Lenora Park has been a special place in our community for 32 years," he said, noting the upgrades give families in the area more resources close to home.
Part of a bigger plan for the park
The recreation center is only one piece of a larger set of improvements underway at Lenora Park. The county says new pickleball courts, a press box, and a maintenance compound are also in progress, along with converting one of the park's football fields into an artificial turf field. According to a county parks department project page, the recreation center and gym renovation were budgeted under the 2017 SPLOST program at a cost not to exceed $10 million, with the turf field project budgeted separately at up to $1.7 million.
More changes are planned for next year: the county says 2027 will bring new outdoor basketball courts with upgraded lighting, fencing and sidewalks, plus a renovated dog park with a new layout, agility equipment, and shade structures.
What this means if you live nearby
Lenora Park already drew families for its six baseball and softball fields, 1.5-mile paved trail, 18-hole disc golf course, dog park, fishing lake, and outdoor pool — all accessible from entrances along Lenora Church Road in Snellville. The newly expanded recreation center adds an indoor option for the colder months, and a dance studio and pottery room give the park something it didn't really have before: year-round space for classes and hobbies, not just field sports. For anyone weighing a move to the Snellville side of Gwinnett, it's one more sign the county is still investing in its older parks rather than only building new ones.