Here is some more detail on the item to demolish the Suwannee River Visitors Center, on the agenda for the GA-DNR Board of Natural Resources, for this Friday, January 30, 2026, on St. Simons Island and livestreamed.

The Suwannee River Visitor Center has been unoccupied and closed for over a decade. The structure is now extensively deteriorated and occupied by a large colony of bats. The building has been subject to repeated vandalism and structural damage, resulting in unsafe conditions that render it unfit for public use or rehabilitation. Due to these ongoing issues, the facility represents a continuing safety risk and liability to staff, visitors, and the Department.

The Board of Natural Resources will meet at the A.W. Jones Heritage Center, 610 Beachview Drive, St. Simons Island, GA 31522, on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.

Live Stream Link:

https://usO6web.z0om.us/j/87169233576?pwd=4zEe9sRELWiGCHR8GIRny4d6liSkla.1

Meeting ID: 871 6923 3576
Passcode: 386825

Packet: Suwannee River Visitor Center unfit for public use or rehabilitation @ DNR Board of Natural Resources 2026-01-30

There is nothing in the board packet about rebuilding anything on the site.

The Visitor Center is at the entrance to Fargo Boat Ramp, in Fargo, Georgia, off of US 441. The Ramp would be unaffected, assuming they can contain the demolition debris. Fargo Ramp is the first publicly-owned Suwannee River access downstream

While that building has indeed been in dire straits for a decade or more, very few people seem to have been aware of this proposal to demolish it.

There is nothing about it in the minutes of the previous meeting of the Lands Committee nor of the minutes of the previous meeting of the Board Natural Resources.

This item comes directly from GA-DNR Commissioner Walter Rabon, like the other proposal to demolish, “Requesting approval via Executive Order to demolish the Red Top Mountain State Park well house, Bartow County.”

This is the agenda sheet for the Suwannee item:

GEORGIA
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
WALTER RABON, COMMISSIONER

January 30, 2026

MEMORANDUM

TO: Members, Board of Natural Resources

FROM: Walter Rabon, Commissioner [initialed]

SUBJECT: Requesting approval via Executive Order to demolish the Stephen C. Foster State Park Suwannee River Visitor Center, Clinch County.

Comments

The Department seeks the Board’s authorization to demolish the visitor center (BLLIP #26486) at Stephen C Foster State Park.

For your review, we are enclosing:
(1) Resolution
(2) Executive Order

We have presented all available information pertaining to this Agreement to the Chairman, Land Committee, and to the member of the Board within whose district this particular project is located.

Discussion and Conclusion
The Suwannee River Visitor Center has been unoccupied and closed for over a decade. The structure is now extensively deteriorated and occupied by a large colony of bats. The building has been subject to repeated vandalism and structural damage, resulting in unsafe conditions that render it unfit for public use or rehabilitation. Due to these ongoing issues, the facility represents a continuing safety risk and liability to staff, visitors, and the Department.

Structures of historical significance and/or 2,000 square feet and larger require an executive order authorizing their removal. The Office of the State Archaeologist determined the visitor center is not historic, so demolition would not have a negative impact on the Georgia/National Register of Historic Places. The structure is 7,000 square feet, so an executive order is required. Subject to receiving the executive order, the Department will remove the visitor center and all debris from the site.

Recommendation
We recommend adoption of the attached Resolution.
WR: bw
Enclosures (2)

Requesting approval via Executive Order to demolish the Stephen C. Foster State Park Suwannee River Visitor Center, Clinch County.
PDF

The entire board packet is on the WWALS website. Thanks to Board Executive Assistant Taylor Fisher for sending it in response to a WWALS request.

For the agenda and some history of the Suwannee River Visitor Center, see the previous post:

https://wwals.net/?p=69306

Also included in the board packet are a Resolution, a Map, and an Executive Order.

RESOLUTION
PDF

Map: EXHIBIT A. Suwannee River Visitor Center Proposed Demolition
PDF

EXECUTIVE ORDER
PDF

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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