TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) – Jaycee Park is closed while construction for the $11.2 million tennis complex is underway, along with other park upgrades.
“It has really needed an upgrade for a long time,” said Tuscaloosa City Council President Kip Tyner.
Tyner’s district includes Jaycee Park, which used to be home to the West Alabama State Fair, Tyner said. It’ll soon attract a new type of crowd.
“People that don’t play tennis don’t really understand the impact this will make,” Tyner said.
The complex will feature 17 tennis courts, a new pavilion, lights, a walking trail, restrooms and other amenities. The space will qualify the city to become a host for junior tennis tournaments, something the current complex can’t accommodate.
“One junior league tournament can bring in thousands of people and thousands of dollars, which is really big for the economy” Tyner said.
The park will feature other amenities for families and city residents who don’t play tennis, Tyner said. The city council president is also working on playground amenity.
“I want it to be a feature that all of the kids in the city will get excited about,” Tyner said.
The developers on the tennis complex project at Jaycee Park are the same developers who took on the Snow Hinton Park upgrades, Tyner said. The playground feature will be similar to the roped structure at Snow Hinton Park.
The city will hold the official groundbreaking ceremony Thursday. Dirt, however, is already being moved and a temporary fence is installed around the premises.
“It’s just strictly a safety issue because that whole park is going to be torn up, and it’ll be very muddy,” Tyner said.
In the meanwhile, residents who once enjoyed a stroll through the park are going to have to find an alternative location until the project is complete. Estimated construction time is between 10 to 11 months, Tyner said.
“I’d like it finished sooner if they can,” Jessie Cobb said.
Cobb’s home sits on a stretch of houses directly behind the park. He’s lived there for decades and has enjoyed the ease of walking only a few feet from his front porch to the park’s walking trail. While Cobb looks forward to seeing updates to the park, he wishes construction did not have to interfere with his daily routine.
“I just want to see an improvement and it be accessible for anyone who comes,” Cobb said
The Boys and Girls Clubs of West Alabama also sits adjacent to the park. Given the organization’s location, the park is the spot for free time, exercises and other activities for children ages 8-18 who attend the program.
“It’s just going to be a fabulous opportunity for our kids to have more places to play,” said Boys and Girls Clubs of West Alabama President and CEO Kim Turner. ‘We’ve been a part of Jaycee Park since the early 70s, so we’ve seen a lot of changes in this community.”