The Grand Reopening of the Oconee Gym
Posted on Oct 07, 2025 at 1:40 PM
On October 2, 2025, the City of Dublin celebrated the grand reopening of the Oconee Gym; everyone was invited to join this special event, and indeed, the community showed up! The evening started with a City Council meeting that smoothly transitioned into a heartfelt reopening ceremony.
During the ceremony, we launched our Mosaic Project, a tribute to Oconee High Alumni, which involves digitizing the school’s yearbooks and the community’s personal photo collections into an interactive mural. The mural will be permanently displayed in the gym, ensuring that future generations will see it and will never forget.
We were proud to announce the naming and dedication of the Oconee Gym basketball court to Mr. Curtis Smith. He has always been passionate about recreation and basketball. He's been an active community basketball coach for decades. He worked with the Dublin-Laurens Recreation Authority and supervised the operations of the Oconee Gym for years.
The community concluded the evening with a self-guided tour of the gym, enjoying delicious concessions provided by Garbutt Construction and Coca-Cola Bottling Company, United, Inc. from McRae-Helena, and cheering on a friendly basketball game. It was truly an unforgettable night!
As one of the last remaining structures from Oconee High School, the gym stands as a testament to our history, restored for future generations to cherish. The Oconee Gym is a vibrant, fully operational facility that features a classroom/flexible space, a basketball court with volleyball markings, and a weight room, where memberships will soon be available. It also features new locker rooms and a larger concession area.
The total renovation cost was just over $3.8 million, funded by ARPA funds allocated to the city, a $500,000 contribution from Laurens County, and a $2.2 million grant. Projects and events like this truly embody what community is all about!