It might be hard to believe the Augusta Common was just a patch of dirt five years ago.

The city's downtown master plan included creating a greenspace or physical connection that would go from the Riverwalk over to Broad Street to bridge the two growing areas.

Engineer Tom Robertson from Cranston Engineering says it's the details that make the Common so spiffy.

He helped develop the design for the nearly 3 million dollar project in 2002. Markers in each corner are dedicated to freedom: moral, political, religious and speech.

There's even an old fashioned "stump" for politicians and a "soapbox" for anyone who wants to add their two cents.

A statue of General James Edward Oglethorpe, the founder of Augusta, overlooks the Broad Street side of the Common along with plaques commemorating the city's history and the leaders who helped make the Common a reality.

Complete with landscaping, lighting, vendor outlets and even wireless internet, the Common is already a multi-facted jewel of the city, but Robertson says there's still plenty of untapped potential.

"The overall plan shows really a physical connection all the way through the Riverwalk to this park and actually cutting over Broad Street over to Ellis and Greene," he said.

Currently the property on both sides of the park is privately owned, but for now, Augustans are enjoying these two prime acres of Common ground.