Designed to curb flooding, a detention pond sits adjacent to the East Columbus Gym on Lawrence Drive. A source of controversy since its inception, the pond is about to undergo a facelift — a facelift one family hopes will change public perception of the pond and improve the quality of life for many of the residents of East Columbus.

Amanda Mackay was 16 when her father, former Ward 2 Councilman Doug Mackay, died in 2008. Now, four years later, she and her mother, Susan, have made it their collective goal to finish the detention pond project as a way to honor the late councilman and they’re hosting a clean-up day May 12.

“This pond was near and dear to my father’s heart,” Amanda Mackay said. “It was one of the last things he wanted to do before he died. I just want to see it completed. I’ve lived in Ward 2 almost all of my life. We just want the people in the neighborhood to have something they can be proud of. We will be planting some monkey grass and Knockout roses. We want it to look more like a park.”

Susan Mackay explained her husband wanted a way to stop flooding in the Lawrence Drive neighborhood. He saw the pond, which temporarily holds water before properly releasing it into a drainage system, as a way to help the neighborhood.

“The pond is on land owned by the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority,” she said. “There is a walking track surrounding the pond land that needs to be repaired. This is not a permanent pond; it’s only a pond when it rains. Otherwise, it is supposed to be an area for football and other sports. (Mayor Robert Smith) and the city council have been supportive of this project and Mayor Smith promised the city would complete this project at Doug’s funeral.”

The Mackay’s appeared before the CLRA board Monday to ask for support for their clean-up project. Board President Scott Hannon said the project would be seen to fruition.

“The idea of the pond was to stop flooding,” Hannon said. “We let the city come in and excavate the property, but not much has been done in the past four years. But we have a commitment from the city’s public works department to have it ready to go by the May 12 clean-up day.”

CLRA Executive Director Roger Short pledged board support for the Mackays.

“I have already ordered some crepe myrtles to be planted at the pond,” Short said. “We are going to have members of the community plant them. We are also going to have the East Columbus gym painted. We just completed a renovation of the inside of the gym. I want the board to give (Amanda’s) clean-up project full support.”

The board voted unanimously to support the May 12 clean-up day.

With the day approaching, Amanda is spending her days taking donations for the project.

“We have three benches we are going to place along the track,” she said. “They were donated to us through Columbus Main Street. They got them from the Trotter (Convention Center). The Paint Store has donated the paint and Bob’s Paint and Auto Body will be doing the painting. If anyone else would like to make donations, they can do it through the CLRA.”

Although the beautification project has not started, area resident Cynthia Payne was utilizing the walking track Monday evening. She said she looks forward to the upcoming changes.

“We really didn’t know anything about the pond when it was created,” Payne said. “I really hope to see this completed. It could look a whole lot better out here. I think this will be a good thing for this neighborhood.”

Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.