Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency

Name

Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency

Legal name

Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency

Website

https://playcherokee.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency is the official county government agency providing parks, recreation facilities, athletic leagues, summer camps, aquatics, and community programming to Cherokee County, Georgia residents, operating six premier indoor facilities and 25+ parks across Woodstock, Canton, Ball Ground, and surrounding communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Recreation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), National/State Park Campgrounds & Public Campgrounds (THAMAJAI), Campgrounds & RV Parks (Developed Sites) (THAGAOAA)

Keywords

• Public parks recreation
• Community recreation centers
• Youth athletics leagues
• Aquatic center services
• Summer camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodstock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a county government agency, Cherokee Recreation and Parks receives primary funding through tax revenue and county budget allocations.
2. Facility Memberships and Passes: The agency generates revenue through fitness memberships, daily passes, and seasonal passes at recreation centers and the aquatic center.
3. Program and Camp Fees: Fees collected from youth camps, athletic programs, instructional classes, and specialty programs including tech camps, sports camps, and arts programs.
4. Facility and Pavilion Rentals: Revenue from renting recreation facilities, pavilions, community rooms, and event spaces for private events and gatherings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency operates as the county government department providing public recreation services across Cherokee County, Georgia. Its core offerings include access to six indoor recreation facilities, over 25 parks, athletic fields, aquatic centers, and community spaces, along with registered programs such as summer camps, youth and adult athletic leagues, instructional classes, fitness memberships, and facility rentals. Services are funded primarily through county tax revenue and SPLOST, with supplemental user fees for programs, memberships, and rentals.

Product overview

Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency operates a comprehensive parks and recreation system for Cherokee County, Georgia, offering multiple recreation facilities, parks, camps, programs, athletics, aquatics, and special events. The agency manages six premier indoor facilities including The Buzz (L.B. 'Buzz' Ahrens Jr. Recreation Center), The WREC, Cherokee County Aquatic Center, Ball Ground City Gym, Hickory Flat Gym, and Union Hill Community Center, plus over 25 parks. Programs include summer camps (Adventures Express, tech camps, specialty camps), instructional classes (coding, sports, fitness), youth and adult athletics leagues, and aquatic activities. The agency also offers facility rentals including pavilions, community rooms, and Victory Hall banquet space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• L.B. 'Buzz' Ahrens, Jr. Recreation Center (The Buzz) A 32,623 sq. ft. state-of-the-art recreation center within Cherokee Veterans Park featuring two full-size basketball courts, dance studio, classrooms, Fitness Zone with cardio and strength equipment, a 28-foot rock-climbing tower, and Victory Hall banquet facility seating 200 guests. Opened February 3, 2023.
• The WREC (Woodstock Recreation Center) The original recreation center built in 1994, serving as the home base for Cherokee Recreation and Parks staff offices. Features a gymnasium, community room, aerobics room, stage, kitchen, fenced playground, large pavilion, and outdoor in-line hockey rink.
• Cherokee County Aquatic Center (The Oasis) A full-service aquatics facility featuring three pool areas: The Oasis outdoor leisure pool with water slides and playground, a Competition Pool for swim meets and lap swimming, and a Heated Recreation Pool for fitness classes and swim lessons. Located at 1200 Wellstar Way, Canton, GA.
• Victory Hall Large banquet hall at The Buzz with seating for 200 guests, warming kitchen, restrooms, separate entrance, and porch-style veranda overlooking Cherokee Veterans Park. Available for holiday parties, family gatherings, and company celebrations.
• Ball Ground City Gym Historic indoor basketball gym located near downtown Ball Ground. Now operated by Cherokee Recreation and Parks as the second historic gymnasium preserved and operated by the agency. Features bleachers and a concession area.
• Hickory Flat Gym Historic gymnasium originally built around 1950 by volunteers, restored with a $1.85 million renovation completed in June 2022. Features concessions.
• Union Hill Community Center Restored historic schoolhouse in the Union Hill community, updated in 2011/2014. Features a warming kitchen, stage area, tables and chairs for up to 226 guests. Available for weddings, parties, meetings, and special events.
• Fire Station Community Rooms Eight fire station community rooms available for meetings, parties, and showers. Includes standard rooms (capacity 79) and large rooms (capacity 112-113) across multiple locations including Airport Industrial, Bridgemill, Freehome, Hickory Flat, Oak Grove, Mica, Sutallee, and Waleska.
• Splash Pad Outdoor splash pad facility available for exclusive rental after regular hours. Each rental includes private access for up to 30 guests for $150. Located at Cherokee County Aquatic Center.
• Pavilion Rentals Reservable pavilions across Cherokee County parks including large pavilions at Cherokee Veterans Park, Fields Landing Park, Long Swamp Recreation Area, The Valley Playground, and The WREC, plus small pavilions at various parks. Fees range from $15-$35 per hour based on residency.
• Adventures Express Camp Summer break camp for ages 5-12 held at The WREC, The Buzz, and Hickory Flat Gym. Offers structured games, creative activities, and outdoor play. Residents $230/week, non-residents $260/week. Camp hours 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
• Tech Camps Summer tech camps including Advanced Game Design, AI Nature Explores, Basics of Project Programming Coding, Drone Coding and Flight, and Foundations Coding Camp. Locations at The Buzz and Freehome Fire Station Community Room.
• Badger Creek Park 14-soccer-field complex opened Fall 2012, home to Cherokee Impact recreational soccer league for ages 4-19.
• Cherokee Veterans Park 149-acre park featuring The Buzz Recreation Center, artificial turf athletic field, two natural grass fields, tennis and pickleball courts, playground, skate park, fishing pond, master garden, Silver Star Trail, and paved walking paths.
• Blankets Creek Mountain Bike Trails Over 15 miles of volunteer-maintained mountain bike trails opened in 2000, operated in partnership with US Army Corps of Engineers and SORBA Woodstock. Features parking, pavilions, and restrooms at trailhead.
• Cherokee Youth Basketball (CYB) Recreational basketball league serving grades K-12 with over 4,000 players. Players represent their elementary, middle, or high school. Includes 8-game regular season, practices, and uniform.
• Adult Slow Pitch Softball Adult softball leagues at Hobgood Park including Men's, Women's, Church, and Co-ed divisions in spring and fall seasons. 8-game season with playoffs.
• Adult Basketball Adult Men's Basketball leagues played at recreation centers in fall/winter, spring, and summer. Monday and Tuesday leagues with 8-game season.
• Pickleball Programs Open play pickleball at The WREC (Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings) and lessons at The Buzz. Includes membership options and daily play passes.
• Ballroom Dancing Ballroom dancing classes at The Buzz on Tuesday nights 6-7:30pm. Focuses on 3 different dances monthly. $100 residents/$115 non-residents per person. Requires partner registration.
• Zumba Gold Low-impact dance fitness class for active older adults and beginners. Tuesdays 9:30-10:30 am at The Buzz. $40 monthly fee or $12 drop-in.
• The Coder School Year-round coding program at The Buzz with Bee Bots (preschool coding), Roblox & Minecraft Modding (grades 4-8), and Drone Coding & Flight (grades 5-9). Classes run 12 weeks on Tuesdays or Saturdays.
• Soccer Shots Youth soccer program for ages 18 months to 8 years at Hobgood Park and JJ Biello Park. Programs include Mini (18 months-3 years), Classic (3-5 years), and Premier (5-8 years).
• Young STEM Explorers Club Weekly STEM sessions for ages 6-11 at The WREC. Topics include Build A Device, DNA Extraction, Fossils, Amusement Park Design, Water Rockets, and Drone Exploration.
• Minecraft Modding & Server Design Camp Camp where kids build projects in Minecraft and print them with 3D printers. Teaches advanced building techniques, basic coding, and 3D modeling. For ages 8-13. Location: The Buzz.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ youth basketball players served annually through Cherokee Youth Basketball league
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• US Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026Partnership with US Army Corps of Engineers (Allatoona Lake) for Blankets Creek Mountain Bike Trails access and land management within the lake property boundaries.
• SORBA Woodstock (Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Partnership between Cherokee County, US Army Corps of Engineers (Allatoona Lake), and SORBA Woodstock for the Blankets Creek Mountain Bike Trails. SORBA volunteers maintain over 15 miles of trails. SORBA is also partnering on the Yellow Creek Road Conservation Area trails development.
• Top TenniscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTop Tennis operates the Cherokee Tennis Center located within JJ Biello Park, providing tennis lessons, court reservations, drop-in drills, and summer camps for all ages. Contact: [email protected]
• The Coder SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Coder School delivers STEM programs including Bee Bots (preschool coding), Roblox/Minecraft Modding, and Drone Coding at The Buzz Recreation Center. Programs run 12 weeks with all materials included.
• Rob Skate AcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional skateboard instruction provider delivering skateboarding programs and camps at the Veterans Park skate park. Staffed by professionally trained instructors for all skill levels.
• Soccer ShotsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYouth soccer program provider delivering Mini, Classic, and Premier soccer programs at Hobgood Park and JJ Biello Park Riverside Athletic Complex for ages 18 months to 8 years.
• Forefront ArtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusical theatre program provider offering summer camps and year-round theatre production programs at fire station community rooms. Produces full-scale summer musical theatre productions.
• Play-Well TEKnologiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLEGO-based engineering education provider delivering STEM camps including Minecraft Master Engineering, Pokemon Master Engineering, and STEM Explorations using tens of thousands of LEGO parts.
• Sequoyah Regional Library SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Trail Stories project placing book pages along trails at Hobgood Park and Cherokee Veterans Park with QR codes linking to interactive book review questions for elementary students and families.
• TSW (Planning Firm)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape architecture and planning firm awarded services for the NE Cherokee County Parks Plan contract, developing conceptual designs for three parcels of land in northeast Cherokee County.
• Vertical Earth LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction contractor awarded $6.5 million contract (with $330,000 contingency) for Yellow Creek Road Conservation Area and Woodworth Park development projects.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta: Large nonprofit operating fitness facilities, swim lessons, youth sports, and camp programs across metro Atlanta. Overlaps with Cherokee's fitness memberships, swim lessons, and youth camps but serves a wider geography as a nonprofit rather than a single county agency.
• Lifetime Fitness (Life Time Group Holdings): National premium fitness and recreation operator offering memberships, swim, kids' programs, and group fitness. Competes with CRPA's Fitness Zone memberships and aquatics on a regional basis, though positioned at higher price points and with broader amenity portfolios.

Direct peers

• Paulding County Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs: West-metro Atlanta county parks agency providing recreation centers, athletic leagues, aquatics, and senior programming. Comparable in scale and scope to Cherokee's operations.
• Cobb County PARKS: Adjacent Georgia county government parks and recreation agency offering recreation centers, aquatic facilities, athletic leagues, and community programming serving Cobb County residents. Directly comparable in mandate, funding model (tax + SPLOST), and service mix.
• Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation: Large Georgia county parks agency operating recreation centers, aquatic facilities, and athletic leagues across Gwinnett County. Comparable as a suburban Atlanta county recreation department with similar program portfolio and SPLOST-funded capital model.
• Forsyth County Parks and Recreation: North-metro Atlanta county recreation department managing parks, recreation centers, and youth/adult athletic programming. Directly comparable suburban Georgia county agency serving a similar demographic profile.
• DeKalb County Recreation Department: Metro Atlanta county government parks and recreation agency providing recreation centers, athletic programming, aquatics, and therapeutic recreation. Closely comparable in operating model and inclusive-programming portfolio.
• Fulton County Recreation Authority: Large metro Atlanta county recreation department providing parks, athletic leagues, aquatic facilities, and senior/wellness programs across multiple municipalities. Comparable in program breadth and county-government operating model.

Others

• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA): National trade association representing parks and recreation agencies. Not a direct competitor but the industry body that provides benchmarking, certification (CPRE), and advocacy relevant to CRPA's operations and standards.

Regional players

• Bartow County Parks and Recreation: Northwest Georgia county recreation department operating parks and recreation programs. Comparable in scale and county-government model but serves a non-overlapping geography adjacent to Cherokee County.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CherokeeCountyAquatic
• Instagraminstagram.com/cherokeecountyaquaticcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cherokee-recreation-and-parks-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency