Cochran Park in Stockbridge will not be reopening any time soon.

  The results of an engineering study were presented at the Oct. 1 regular meeting of the Henry County Board of Commissioners, and county officials noted serious stormwater issues in addition to other problems.

  The park, which has been open on East Atlanta Road for some 50 years, was closed suddenly in July due to safety concerns after an inspection by officials, including Commissioner Bruce Holmes and County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews, along with staff from the county’s stormwater and park’s departments. Holmes said he was alerted to several issues at the park and became concerned after learning that there were serious infrastructure failures, including a crumbling stormwater pipe system, resulting in several dangerous sinkholes and a compromised parking lot. Baseball teams competing at Cochran Park at the time were moved to other county facilities so their season could continue.

  According to Matthews’ report to the board last week, the Croy Engineering study found that the “existing storm network system at Cochran Park is in very poor condition,” and the cost to repair it is $592,524. That is the price tag for the stormwater repairs only, not including repairs to the parking lot or any other structures or systems.

  “While assessing the existing storm network system, we observed existing field conditions, visible pipes and locations of existing drainage structures,” the report stated. “It appears that some inlets are not properly located to efficiently capture runoff from the site, inlets that haven’t been maintained with trash, debris and sediment clogging their inlets, crushed inlets not capturing their full capacity, visible pipes, meaning pipes were not installed with proper cover causing the storm pipes to be exposed, inlets without manhole access to allow for maintenance and, in general, the entire existing storm network system seems to be undersized.”

  Holmes responded to the report findings by repeating his commitment to the safety of county citizens.

  “The engineering report was far worse than I imagined,” he said. “As an elected official, I understand that I’m responsible for those who elected me and they have to trust that I will put their safety above politics no matter how much it hurts me politically. Citizens can trust that I will make decisions that will put them before myself.”

  Holmes added that county officials are looking at ways to improve the part of the park that is still considered safe. Options on the table include adding green space, walking/dog trails and possibly a pickleball court, he said.

  Hobson-Matthews added that her office and the commissioners’ office had received several calls regarding the park closing, and she echoed what Holmes said about safety being the top priority.

  Stockbridge City Councilman Elton Alexander, who has from the beginning been in favor of keeping the park’s baseball facilities in place, urged county officials last week to spend the money necessary to make the repairs.

  “If Henry County spent $8 million on the new Village Park in Ellenwood and currently proposed spending $90 million on a 10,000-seat arena and $100 million on a convention center, surely our commissioners can repair historic Cochran Park, keeping youth baseball in Stockbridge for our kids,” he stated on a social media post.

  Alexander said the current state of the park, which is in the Stockbridge city limits, is the result of neglect over several decades and it should be brought up to current standards. He urged citizens to contact Holmes, Matthews and board chair June Wood about the matter, furnishing their email addresses on his Facebook post.