HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The city of Huntsville is geared at keeping up with the hustle and bustle of growth and development by improving our quality of life also.
What’s on their agenda? Long-term plans to expand our greenways and parks.
The city says greenways are the most popular public spaces in the city, and since 2007, the City of Huntsville has been committed to what they call the 'Greenway Master Plan'.
“Walkability, the ability of people to get from one place to the other with maybe not necessarily driving their car and even just for recreational relaxation, you want to walk down the greenway, we have miles, 50-60 miles of greenway available,” said Huntsville Parks & Recreation Director, James Gossett.
There are so far at least nine greenways located throughout the city of Huntsville. Parks and Recreation leaders plan to add more miles to these greenways.
“There will be more of that coming through the different capital budgets, and I think there’s probably a goal out there somewhere about 200 miles of greenway. There are possibilities of going all the way down there to Ditto Landing, which I think will be a very exciting extension, and then all the way up to Alabama A&M,” said Gossett.
The city has budgeted at least 44 miles to be completed by next year. Another project in the works is the Sandra Moon Community Complex in South Huntsville.
“It’s going to be a multi-phased facility. We’re in the second phase of that. Right now some of what’ going on in there is life safety, infrastructure issues. Probably the most exciting thing for the public is going to be the renovation and probably the expansion on the art end. Arts Huntsville will occupy that space and be available to provide programming for some of the groups they work with, and eventually, down the road they’re going to have a theater open,” said Gossett.
The rocket city is making more room for a popular recreational sport, disc golf!
The city of Huntsville also plans to build a larger disc golf course. Six of them are in the city.
The larger course will be at John Hunt Park and is designed for intermediate players.
Gossett said it will also be used to host tournaments.
The course will feature eighteen holes of championship disc golf, and the city says hosting these championship games will add an economic boost to the area.
"So there are some national level tournaments at the disc golf level that really operate and look very similar to almost like the PGA golf. They would come in for four or five days, they would play the course, they would have cuts, and so that's a possibility once the course goes in that this could happen," said Gossett.
The city says the design is complete and plans to open the new court in the near future.