Community partners unveil Spirit of Macon Park next to Macon‑Bibb County transit terminal

At a ribbon‑cutting ceremony in Macon‑Bibb County, community leaders and grant partners on Saturday opened the Spirit of Macon Park, a small public park adjacent to the Macon‑Bibb County Transit Authority terminal intended to improve neighborhood access and support wellness programming.

Craig Ross, president and CEO of the Macon‑Bibb County Transit Authority, credited neighborhood organizer Jamie Bannon and community fundraising for making the project possible, saying the agency had no park line item in its budget but supported the park after partners raised money. "You raise the money, you can build a park," Ross said.

Wallace White, associate state director for AARP, said the park is one of the projects funded through AARP’s Community Challenge program. "These grants take a part of 4,200,000.0 of a national investment, in 383 quick action projects designed to help people in need of all ages," White said, and congratulated the Macon‑Bibb County Transit Authority as a recipient.

Darius Maynard, program officer at the Community Foundation in Central Georgia, described local planning tables that generated the park idea and announced a $1,000 mini‑grant to support the park’s wellness features. "This project is especially meaningful because we began with a conversation," Maynard said.

Jill Peavy, president of the Jackson Springs Garden Club, said volunteers planted 250 daffodil bulbs at the site and that her club has adopted the park as its 2026 beautification project.

A transit authority representative who identified themselves as the agency’s public information officer traced the park’s origins to earlier mural work and a vacant lot behind the terminal. The speaker said the group secured an AARP grant after applying among thousands of applicants and credited several staff members and contractors for delivery. "I love that this sign says Macon Bibb County Transit Authority ... It was made possible by AARP," the speaker said.

Project features described at the ceremony include narrowed vehicle lanes with an added bike lane, four new striped crosswalks along 5th Street, a focus on accessibility for older adults, and planned wellness programming such as Tai Chi classes led by local instructors. Organizers also noted permission from Norfolk Southern to paint a tunnel mural and identified muralist Abraham Abebe as the artist behind two "Spirit of Macon" murals near the site.

The event concluded with photos and a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Organizers encouraged visitors to use the park and to cross the street to view the murals that helped motivate the project.

No formal votes or regulatory actions were recorded at the event; the gathering was ceremonial and focused on community partnerships, grant funding and next steps for programming and maintenance.