The ceremony to rename the Diamond Lakes baseball fields became an impromptu memorial, Wednesday morning, for the late Augusta commissioner for whom it was named.
Mayor Garnett Johnson, Super District 10 Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle and District 4 Commissioner Alvin Mason were among the many gathered at the park to honor of Fred Ancil “Andy” Cheek III, as the city changed the name of the athletic fields and unveiled new signage with his namesake.
Both current local officials and some of Cheek’s former colleagues spoke at length about his devotion to bettering the city, and his passion for youth sports.
“He respected everybody’s position, but he wholeheartedly believed that we could have one Augusta,” said former Mayor Pro Tem Joe Bowles, recalling, as an example for his’ zeal for the Garden City, an occasion he helped Cheek clean trash from the Augusta Canal. “We had the police called on us for trying to clean up the Augusta canal by the Canal Authority. But that didn’t stop Andy. We just kept working.”
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Former District 9 Commissioner Marion Williams praised his dedication to seeing that all areas of the city received proper attention, remembering when he and Cheek sought for the renovation of Jones Pool.
“I thank God that I did have an opportunity to work with him,” said Williams, who also gave the invocation for the ceremony. “I thank him for his commitment. I thank him for his love for this city. He didn’t see Black or White. He saw right or wrong.”
Former city administrator Fred Russell lauded his steadfastness, referring to him as “hard-headed” and often argumentative, but as compliments: “I think that’s good, because Andy never gave up.”
Russell also asked those in attendance, particularly those who oversee the park, to take care to honor Cheek’s legacy in their upkeep of the fields.
“You’ve got a temple now that Andy helped create, that you’ve got to live up to the standards that Andy would expect it to,” he said. “He’s looking over your shoulder, and he will continue to do it, just because he knows what a good place this is, and how you as individuals and us as community leaders can continue to make it better by doing the things that Andy did 27 years ago and for the rest of his life.”
Cheek served on the Augusta Commission from 2000 to 2007, during which he campaigned for the renovation of the Augusta Canal, and launched the First Saturday Initiative for volunteers to help clean up the canal area.
In June of 2023, after a petition by Williams, the Augusta Commission approved renaming the Diamond Lakes baseball fields after Cheek, some three months after he succumbed to a battle with cancer.
“He really wanted Augusta to flourish. He just gave his heart and soul to Augusta,” said Randy Cheek, Andy’s brother. “Y’all are doing something really good today, and having a great, strong recreation department builds a fine, thriving community. And guys, it looks like y’all are winning right now. This is pretty amazing. Andy would be very proud of this.”
The Fred Ancil “Andy” Cheek III Athletic Field is located in Diamond Lakes Regional Park, at 4335 Windsor Spring Rd. in Hephzibah.
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
