By Andrew Edwards
Elmore/Autauga News Staff Writer
Municipal leaders from Prattville met at the Doster Center on Friday morning to discuss several major upcoming projects, such as renovations to Pratt Park, Stanley-Jensen Stadium, Newton Park and Upper Kingston Park.
While none of the projects are set in stone, the City of Prattville took a major step toward making these dreams a reality at Friday morning’s parks and recreation meeting.
Earlier in May, Parks and Rec. Director Kellie Cook, presented these very same projects to city council as part of the one-cent sales tax four-part work session. Each session’s goal was to convince the council how to utilize the tax moving forward.
At the July 7 council meeting, it was ultimately determined that 25 percent of the tax will be deposited into a Parks and Recreation Reserves bank account moving forward and used only for Parks and Recreation facilities within the corporate limits of the City of Prattville. Additional grants could also be used to help fund future projects.
More detail into how each project will be handled was outlined by Cook at Friday’s meeting. The city has categorized each project into tiers, with Pratt Park, Stanley-Jensen Stadium and Newton Park being the first in line.
Will Barrett, Project/Design Manager with Civil Southeast Engineering, presented the plan for both Pratt Park and Stanley-Jensen Stadium. Barrett explained that the park would essentially be gutted to make way for safer, more modern material. The ground surrounding the park would be replaced with a rubberized surface, as part of ADEM’s Scrap Tire Program.
“The whole goal of this new playground is that there are no blind spots. Parents can sit anywhere on the park premise and see where the kids are at all times. That doesn’t exist currently,” Barrett said.
Barrett said that the goal is to still preserve as much as the park as possible, such as the pickets, plaques, and bricks that surround the current setup.
They also plan to remove the asphalt behind the park’s pavilion to make way for green space, renovate the existing bathrooms, and demolish and move the Lion’s Club BBQ to make way for more restrooms.
No specific time table was set for the project, but Barrett did say that the total cost is estimated to be around $1.6 M. They are expected to receive a GameTime Grant that will help reduce the costs of major playground equipment by $80,000.
Barrett also gave details on the renovations to Stanley-Jensen Stadium in Downtown Prattville. Those renovations would make the current home side the guest/visitor side and would include a grandstand with a press box and booster box. There would be a proposed viewing platform that includes locker rooms and a multi-purpose banquet room. There would also be improvements to restrooms, ticket areas, concessions and the building of a new jumbotron.
Outside of the stadium, new paved parking would be built which would provide more than 400 spots for guest/home attendees.
The multi-purpose center garnered a great deal of positive attention, specifically from Mayor Bill Gillespie and Councilwoman Lora Lee Boone.
Barrett explained the significance of such a venue.
“This facility could be used for number of things, such as parties, voting, class reunions and other events. You could basically rent it out for whatever you need to. This will be the new, elite level renting space for events here in Prattville,” Barrett said.
Barrett also gave a rough estimate for when renovations could begin, citing that construction could start as early as 2023 and be finished by the Fall of 2024. He said that the city would have to decide how teams would operate during the time of construction, whether that be signing a 1-year contract to play at another stadium, or some other venue.
Capacity is expected to remain around the current number of 8,000. Estimated cost for the project is $11.1 M.
The final tier one project discussed was Newton Park. Greg Thompson, Engineer with Engineers of the South, laid out the plan for what could become the premiere tennis destination in Prattville.
While early in the preliminary scope, Thompson said the plan would involve building four new clay tennis courts, pickleball courts, a new concessions area, improved parking, and renovations the children’s park and existing hard tennis courts.
Estimated cost for the project would range around $2 M.
Other projects beyond these three, at a later date, included Upper Kingston Park and the Whetstone Complex.
Upper Kingston Park, as part of the proposal presented by Thompson, would see four new soccer fields, renovations to the existing six soccer fields, a new concession area, improved asphalt parking and a new pavilion.
Other projects, such as improvements to Lo Pickett Park and Whetstone Complex were discussed as well.
