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Dawson Creek B Y M ELISSA G EORGE B OWMAN J UST DRIVING THROUGH THE ENTRANCE LOWERS MY BLOOD PRESSURE . N EW W ATERS R EALTY V ICE P RESIDENT AND B ROKER J ENNIFER A TKINS CANNOT COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES SHE HEARS THAT PHRASE ABOUT T HE W ATERS . T HE WINDING ROAD SURROUNDED BY LAKES AND ROLLING COUNTRYSIDE THAT LEADS INTO THE P IKE R OAD RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY SEEMS TO EVOKE A COMMON SENSE OF TRANQUILITY AMONG BOTH VISITORS AND RESIDENTS . hen you’re here you really connect with nature in a way that you can’t anywhere else,” Atkins said. The Waters is not your typical neighborhood. Its natural beauty is just one reason around 400 families have chosen to call it home. They also love its unique sense of commu- nity. Developers designed it with that in mind. Walkability is a key feature as well as amenities like parks, recreational outlets and a town center with dining and shopping. Add a healthy dose of Southern charm and it is easy to see why The Waters continues at- tracting residents. The Waters newest development has those essential elements plus a touching story. Known as Dawson Creek, it honors the memory of Wayne Dawson. Tucked away on a gorgeous plot of land a short distance from the hustle and bustle of I-85 is The Oaks Plantation. Dating from the early 1830s, today the site is a popular venue for weddings, re- ceptions and special events. It is a piece of history that still stands in many ways thanks to Wayne Dawson. In 1984 Dawson purchased The Oaks Plantation. At the time it did not resemble the picturesque place that today is a favorite choice of many brides. Already more than 150 years old, time had imposed wear and tear. Appreciating what a treasure it was, Daw- son returned it to its former glory. He renovated and restored the home and embellished it with fine furnishings and antiques. Great care was also paid to the hundreds of acres of land, including the 1,500 that now make up Dawson Creek. Knowing that today those grounds are where families are estab- lishing homes and enjoying a close-knit community would make Dawson proud, according to his widow, Jeannine Dawson Svenson. “He really had great plans for the land but cancer just took him too soon,” she said. Dawson passed away in 1996. He was a man admired by many, which is why it is no surprise he is still fondly remembered more than 20 years later. “Wayne made everybody feel good. He was the type of man who would just draw everybody to him,” said Svenson. “Everybody loved Wayne and appreciated him and wanted to be around him.” Svenson looks back on her life at The Oaks as a blessing. She has countless memories of fun times she shared with her husband and his sons, Michael and Peter. Their time together as a family was special and so were the times they opened their home to others. They entertained everyone from governors to hunters dur- ing deer season. They even hosted the entire congregation of Pike Road Baptist Church, including offering hayrides around the prop- erty. Similarly, more than a century earlier, The Oaks Plantation’s original owner, Alexander Carter, was known to entertain friends and family with buggy races around the grounds. Living in a place with such history was a unique experience for 18 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com SPOTLIGHT 360 ............................................................................................................................... “W