Gwinnett Daily Post

DACULA - Billy Duryea let his feet dangle in, although instead of a pool of water, the bowl was filled with young skateboarders, including Duryea's son Will.

There was no ocean at Duncan Creek Park either, but that didn't stop kids and adults from enjoying sand volleyball on a hot Saturday morning, as the community celebrated the opening of the new Hamilton Mill-area park.

"He's so excited about this place," Joanna Duryea said of 8-year-old Will. "We'll probably come over here all during the summer."

Pointing at her 3-year-old Ansley, she added, "They've got a playground here for her. ... It's incredible."

The 88-acre park features the county's most elaborate skate park, and kids, teenagers and adults barely paused from the fun to watch the ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday.

"As a mother of two teenage boys, I fully understand how important it is to keep them busy," Commissioner Lorraine Green said during the ceremony. "The kids love this type of stuff, and it's important to support what they like to do."

During the couple of weeks the park has been open, lines have formed for the sand volleyball courts, officials said.

Dana Booker said her

2-year-old Hannah is excited about playing on another type of court featured at the Braselton Highway park.

"She said she wants to play basketball," Booker said. "She's looking forward to playing here."

The park also features a football field, a playground, a pavilion and a trail, and officials plan to begin construction of a Hamilton Mill library branch at the site soon.