BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Lake Wilmore Park will receive more than $10 million in upgrades after the Auburn City Council on Tuesday approved contracts to install several fields, pickleball courts and light fixtures.Mayor Ron Anders said the projects, which consist of four artificial multi-purpose fields, six new covered pickleball courts and the lighting, fulfill the city’s Parks and Recreation Department’s promise to the community.
“This is very exciting, and what a tremendous, tremendous development for our community (and) our children,” Anders said. “I’m thankful for the efforts to get us here to this point and look forward to the smiling faces and the loud noises and the activity that’s going to come from the ball games and all the things that’ll occur out here.” Parks and Recreation Director Alison Hall told council members they were year-long contracts but cautioned work could take longer than that to complete.
Once completed, the four fields will be large enough to become eight flag football fields, three tackle football fields, two full-sized lacrosse fields or two smaller lacrosse fields. According to Hall, the synthetic fields also provide the city the flexibility to create additional uses through powder-based paint, which can be removed. Other benefits she mentioned included improved durability, less maintenance, decreased use of pesticides and increased play time for athletes.
Once completed, the six additional pickleball courts will also give the park 18 covered, lit and fenced courts amid a time when the sport continues to grow in popularity across the county.
The contract for the fields and pickleball courts will cost the city $9.41 million and will be handled by Notasulga-based firm Beasley Construction Services for the Lake Wilmore Park Athletic Fields Project. Following questions from Ward 3 Council Member Beth Witten about the bid process, City Manager Megan McGowen Crouch said the firm has an extensive history working on public projects.
The contract for the lighting will cost the city $625,000 and will be handled by Musco Sports Lighting.
OTHER BUSINESS:
The council reappointed Kathy Powell to the Board of Education. Her five-year term begins on June 1 and ends on May 31, 2029. Powell previously served one full term on the board.
The council approved a warranty deed with The Bottle Land Investment LLC that deeds a single lot to the city to locate a public sanitary sewer lift station. That station, which will sit 0.5 miles north of the intersection of North College Street and Farmville Road, will serve the Northgate Development.
The council accepted public drainage and utility easements at 1415 Barkley Circle from Gordon Thompson and Robin Thompson following the redivision of Grove Hill-Ridgeview Subdivision lot.
The council approved an additional $1.5 million contract with D & J Enterprises for the Fiscal Year 2023 Streets Resurfacing Project. City documents show that the additional contract covers full depth reclamation work on Owens Road and the resurfacing of additional streets. The original agreement was worth $2.75 million.
The council approved a nearly $272,000 contract with Kadre Engineering for the North Donahue Drive Widening Project. That agreement includes civil engineering design, permitting services and construction administration services. City Engineer Alison Frazier said the project could begin by 2026.
The council approved Foresite Group’s performance residential use application for the construction of a five-unit residential development at 814 N. College St. That approval moved forward despite objections from longtime property resident Lindburgh Jackson, who claimed he has a case in front of the Alabama Supreme Court over concerns about how the project has advanced.
The council approved Frederick Averett’s industrial use application to operate a manufacturing facility at 380 Industry Drive. That facility will produce automatic racks for automobile steel body parts delivery.
The council approved an institutional use application for The Children’s House, a private school and daycare located at 231 E. Drake Ave. That application allows The Children’s House to expand its operation from 1,400 square feet to 3,400 square feet and increase enrollment from 30 students up to 50 students.
The council approved the purchase of nine in‐car camera systems and various parts from Axon Enterprise to reutilize 11 used systems for the Auburn Police Department. That agreement is worth nearly $75,000.
The council approved a franchise agreement with Dixie Electric Cooperative. That agreement grants Dixie Electric franchise rights for 30 years from the ordinance’s effective date.
The council approved an alcohol beverage license for Auburn Fare and Libations LLC doing business as Boulangerie French Bakery, which is located at 138 N. College St.