By Malcolm Butler
Ruston mayor Ronny Walker joined Enviro Services owners Trey Towns and Jered Ramsey along with other dignitaries Tuesday morning for a ground-breaking ceremony for a 97 spot RV campground that will be just one more long-term asset to the Ruston Sports Complex.
“This has been something that has been in the works since we started the (Ruston Sports Complex),” said Walker. “This has been something that is needed in our city, but especially with the sports complex. This is another addition to what we can offer at the Ruston Sports Complex.”
The campground will be built on the land that previously housed three slow-pitch softball fields that were utilized for decades by Ruston Parks and Recreation. The land is to the east of the gymnasium that is part of the Ruston Sports Complex.
“This ground-breaking marks another meaningful investment in our community that will benefit residents and visitors alike,” said Ruston Chamber of Commerce President Will Dearmon. “This expanded RV park will attract more economic investment and activity that will benefit all of our residents.”
Walker said it was a “public-private partnership.” In this particular case the City of Ruston is providing a long-term land lease to the investors for the project, Towns and Ramsey.
“Jared has kids out here playing ball, and he saw the opportunity,” said Towns. “We talked to the mayor about it and just put it all together.”
“Anytime the city and a private investor can get together to do a project like this … we are really excited about it,” said Walker.
All 97 RV spots will be fully-serviced, including water, sewage and electricity (including 30-, 50- and 110-amp outlets).
Six of the 97 spots will be pull-through spots which will average out to 155-feet long by 20-feet wide with a 35-foot turn in. The remaining 91 spots will average out to 70-feet long by 23-feet wide with a 35-foot turn in.
Towns couldn’t give an exact timeline, but with dirt already being moved, he is hopeful completion is sooner than later.
“We’ve started it,” said Towns, who then added he hopes it is completed “as soon as possible. I would think six months.”
Currently the Ruston Sports Complex only has a total of 10 paved RV parking spots so the new parking lot will increase the number ten-fold.
