Albertville to unveil master plan for recreation complex Thursday
Article by Huck Treadwell from the Sand Mountain Reporter
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After more than 18 months of planning, the City of Albertville is poised to reveal its master plan for a 130-acre recreation complex.
The city and the Albertville Chamber of Commerce are inviting the public to attend a presentation on Thursday, Jan. 10, from 2-4 p.m. at the Albertville High School Fine Arts Center.
“We’ve worked with consultants throughout the Southeast as well as on a national level to ensure we bring the highest-level facilities and amenities to our area and feel extremely blessed to have had their expertise guide this project,” Albertville Mayor Tracy Honea said. “Every detail of the park has been designed to serve this community and enhance quality of life for our citizens, as well as the north Alabama region as a whole, while continuing to grow the economy and provide more local career opportunities.”
Rendering by Chambless King Architects
Chambless King Architects, a Montgomery-based architectural firm, will present the master plan and detailed renderings of the complex at the unveiling ceremony on Thursday.
“The design of the park, its sports venues, its trails, its pools and its buildings are the result of more than 18 months of intense collaboration with the leadership of the Albertville Mayor’s Office, Albertville City Council, Albertville Parks and Recreation Department, and sporting and entertainment communities,” John Chambless, of Chambless King, said. “We have strived to understand the special character and principals that have shaped Albertville into a city with great schools and a thriving business and industrial base with unique cultural resources. These same principals have driven the design of the park.”
The sports complex and amphitheater will provide residents with a wide range of recreational opportunities. The complex will include tournament-quality baseball and softball fields as well as multi-purpose fields for football, soccer and lacrosse. The complex will also feature basketball courts and a tennis complex that includes clay courts.
There will be a state-of-the-art recreation center that includes an indoor walking track, multiple basketball and volleyball courts, racquetball courts, an indoor, eight-lane competition pool, as well as indoor and outdoor leisure pools.
The park will also feature a lazy river and splash pad, a disc golf course, playgrounds and walking trails. The park will also be home to a premiere amphitheater with a seating capacity of approximately 9,000, with 2,000 permanent seats.
Chambless said designers had worked to incorporate the natural features of the 129-acre site into the design of the park.
“A site defined by wetlands, stands of mature trees, rock and beautiful natural vegetation allowed the creation of walking trails and playgrounds to connect the surrounding venues with these natural features giving the park its verdant character,” Chambless said. “Shade and play spaces were also created within the ballfield concourses so that every family member, at any age, will enjoy the game day experience. The amphitheater is designed to serve the local community, including the acclaimed 300 member Albertville High School “Aggie” Band, along with musical talent a on a national and regional level.
“From state-of-the-art competitive sports and entertainment venues, to family recreation, this park is designed to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Albertville and Sand Mountain for generations to come.”
The Albertville City Council began discussing construction of a recreation complex in December 2016. Chambless King was selected as the architect and began meeting with the city in July 2017. Chambless King’s portfolio includes the 65,000-square-foot Wind Creek Atmore Casino, Hotel and Spa, Montgomery’s Riverwalk Park and the 1988 and 1998 renovations to Bryant Denney Stadium in Tuscaloosa, among others. In May 2017, the council passed a 1-cent sales tax to help fund the construction of the recreation complex and initiate a large-scale paving project.
“We feel very fortunate as an administration to be able to bring a development of this magnitude into fruition that has been in the works, in some form or fashion, for several years,” Honea said.