The Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday afternoon it is awarding $3 million to Bryan County to help fund plans to turn the old Fisherman’s Co-Op into a public recreation area.

The announcement of the funding through the state’s Outdoor Stewardship Program is the latest step in the county’s 2020 decision to buy and convert the 26-acre property on Kilkenny Creek to public use.

“We’re super excited about it,” County Commission Chairman Carter Infinger said. “We’re going to get started on getting things done and we’re going to complete the project as quickly as possible.”

The county will have to match the state grant with $1.5 million.

Bryan County purchased the Co-Op for $3.25 million in September, 2020. Plans for the site include adding boat ramps, docks, picnic areas and more, and will be done in phases.

Originally constructed in 1979, the Fisherman’s Co-Op once consisted of a 900 foot dock, a 30-by-30-foot cooler to store the catch, a large storeroom for supplies, and a facility that could be used as a store for selling fish, the county said.

At one point, the Co-Op was contributing over $5 million per year to the local economy, and the first Bryan County seafood festival – known today as the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival – was held on the Co-Op grounds.

Commissioners first announced plans to buy the facility in March 2020, citing the need to provide the public with access to the water.

The county bought the property from Atlanta- based Keller LLC out of general fund money, Infinger said, but could ask voters to approve ongoing improvements as Special Local Option Sales Tax projects when the next SPLOST is up for a vote in 2023.

The property was at one point in the 2000s destined to become a marina and condos after it was sold in 2004, but that never happened. The site which fell into disrepair, was purchased in 1975 for $30,000 and sold in 2004 for $3 million, according to Bryan County tax records.

In 2020, Infinger said the site was a local landmark.

“We like how ingrained the Co-Op is in the community’s history and culture. The opportunity to breathe new life into it is something we find particularly exciting, and I believe area residents are in agreement. Those who remember the old Co-Op understand what kind of implications this project could have. Younger folks may not know what a hotspot it once was, but there’s certainly an emotional and nostalgic element associated with the thought of reintroducing the co-op to a whole new generation of Bryan County residents,” he said.

Wednesday, Infinger thanked the state and county staffers who worked on putting together applications for the grant.

“They worked hard on it and it looks like we’re moving forward in the process,” he said. “We’re ready to go.”

The Fisherman’s Co-Op was one of 15 projects being funded with $28.1 million by the DNR through the Outdoor Stewardship Program.

“During a time of need, Georgia provided our citizens and friends from neighboring states a safe place to recreate, enjoy nature and learn about the rich outdoor opportunities our state has to offer. The approved project grant slate will further improve those opportunities and continue to strengthen Georgia’s conservation efforts,” said DNR Commissioner Mark Williams.