Newsroom
Updated 3/24/09

Spring is here and you can tell it throughout our parks system. I am blessed to work for a City that has leaders who realize the importance of recreation. Reflecting on the last year, 2008 was a very busy time for Parks and Recreation and 2009 will not be any different.

In July 2008, we co-hosted the 7 Year Old Dizzy Dean World Series with our sister city, Fultondale. From the Opening Ceremony, with a dramatic fireworks display, to the final pitch, this was truly a great event for both cities. The economic impact, along with showcasing both cities to people from across the Southeast, made this event something special to all who participated. Also, our 9 year olds won their World Series in Southaven, Mississippi. This was a tremendous accomplishment for them and a great tribute to the program and our city.

The day after we completed the World Series, we began construction on our "Splash Pad" at Celebration Park. This project was built by our own departmental employees. Through a lot of hard work, sweat and determination we cut the ribbon on this project on September 17. In my 32 years with the City, this has been the most well received and exciting project that I have ever been associated with. This was a $275,000 project that without the skills of our own employees would have cost the city over $400,000. These employees do a great job on a daily basis and I am proud to be associated with them all.

Enough of last year, and on to 2009. In January, we began construction of another uniquely special project, a "Miracle Field". Again, most of the preliminary work was done by our own staff. With the cold and rainy weather, this was truly a challenge. But as we complete the final touches, I can only saw "Wow!" What a great concept. Jeff Dennis, a local jeweler spearheaded this project. With mostly donated money and a state grant obtained by our State Senator Scott Beason, this is a tremendous addition to our parks system. To see what this is truly about, visit www.miracleleague.com and turn up your speakers. The song and video says it all! We will have a field dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony on April 25 at 2:00 p.m.

Baseball and softball teams are practicing hard in anticipation of Opening Day 2009. This year we are combining both leagues to celebrate the opening of the season. This will be at the Civic Center Amphitheater on March 27 at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is invited! Food, fireworks, inflateables and music will insure all of a great time.

On April 5, we will hold our second annual night time Easter Egg Hunt. Last year we had approximately 500 people attend this event and to see all the "little ones" with their flashlights scurrying throughout the field was exciting to all. This event will be held behind the tennis courts on Moncrief Road. Food and prizes are included.

On April 18, the Magnolia Festival returns to the Civic Complex. This event, organized by our own Kathleen Phillips, draws crowds from miles away. Visit their website for more details.

On April 24, we will again host The Junior Olympics Skills Competition this year. The site will be at the Civic Center. This event is for boys and girls, ages 8-13. For a detailed explanation, visit their website.

Then on April 25, the Splashpad re-opens. Our pavilions are booking rapidly. So, if you want to host a birthday party there, you better act quickly. Celebration Park is our "Crown Jewel" and is quickly gaining a reputation of being one of the nicest in the state. We regularly have other city officials visit this park to get ideas for their own towns. Come and see how nice this truly is.

Day camps, tennis, flag football and other special events will be offered this year. Make sure you visit our home page for additional information.

In the Fall, we anticipate near record numbers participating in football and soccer. These programs, as well as all of the other organized youth sports, are led by outstanding volunteers who contribute countless hours to our local children. Another area that we are involved in is assisting our local schools on a weekly basis. From playground projects to striping fields, we try to help them in any way possible. In October, we will team up with Gardendale High School to offer the second annual "Old Fashioned Community Pep Rally and Bonfire" that will also showcase our youth football program, Bragg Middle School and of course G.H.S. Over 1,000 people attended this event last year as we turned back the clock to days gone by.

On November 1, our department will begin the process of preparing Christmas decorations to be installed throughout the city. This is a 6 week process that is very time consuming as we beautify the city for this joyous season. A new tree was purchased for the grounds at City Hall in 2008 to highlight our holiday efforts.

In today's time, with the down economy, people everywhere are searching for ways to cut back spending. As a department, we are doing the same thing. We are trying to save money by doing things with our own staff and devising ways of doing everything that we do in the most cost effective manner as possible. We will continue to keep our parks as attractive as possible, even with reduced spending. Also, as people look for ways to entertain kids on a budget, we anticipate record numbers of people using our parks. From playgrounds to picnics to flying kites, parks are a great way to have fun without spending a lot of money.

In closing, we also introduced a new by-line and slogan for our department as we began our new fiscal year: Gardendale Parks and Recreation, "Creating Community Through People, Parks and Programs". You will see this on any advertising and publications that we are involved in this year. Sense of community is one of a city's greatest assets, and we strive to enhance this in any way possible. We welcome new ideas and look forward to suggestions in making this city even more special than it already is.

Stan Hogeland, Director
Gardendale Parks and Recreation