EIGHT MILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The light at the end of the tunnel is in sight for a Mobile County Commission and Environmental Services project at Chickasabogue Park.
According to previous reporting, the park closed in January of 2022 and has remained closed while renovations were completed.
Park officials said the renovations came in phases, not all at once.
Tina Sanchez, Environment Services Director, said the first round of renovations began with infrastructure. She emphasized that infrastructure must be able to support the millions of dollars spent on new and renovated facilities.
“We really need to start with the bones of the park,” Tina Sanchez, Environment Services Director, said. “The infrastructure is like the backbone if you will.”
Infrastructure improvements, contracted by Mott MacDonald, include:
- Underground Utilities
- Water/Sewer System
- Lift Station
- Fire Hydrants
- Fire Mains
Also in the second wave of improvements were the mountain bike trail and disc golf course. The contractor for both, Goodwyn Mills Caywood, sent people who specialize in each sport to make improvements.
Matthew Jones, Deputy Environmental Services Director, said GMC suggested no changes, besides a few amenities, to the disc golf course.
“He came out and he looked at the disc golf course, he reviewed everything,” Jones said. “He said, ‘You know what, you guys have a great disc golf course here. We need to keep it the way it is.'”
GMC sent another person who specialized in mountain bike trails to review the park’s mountain bike trails. Jones said it’s important to have someone who knows and loves a sport to add necessary changes.
“These guys are passionate about their sport,” Jones said. “If you’re going to come and ride a mountain bike, you want to ride a mountain bike on a trail that is made for mountain bikes.”
Park officials said that the two new basketball courts are made of VersaCourt, a plastic material that allows water to drip through it. Another bonus to the material: each court can accommodate basketball, tennis, and pickleball.
The parking lot was also renovated in this phase of the project. According to officials, the parking lot is built on previous pavers, which absorb water to eliminate flooding.
And now, officials say a new RV park with a capacity of 38 spaces is in the works. The RV Park Project is contracted by Moffat and Nichol.
In all, the renovations are more than just improvements — officials say they want to make people aware of the area’s history.
Merceria Ludgood, District 1 Mobile County Commissioner, said the park will also use architecture, design, and artifacts to recognize the different cultures that lived in the area in the past.
“Not only do we want [people] to enjoy the amenities, but we also want them to understand why we chose this and what the historical significance of this park is,” Ludgood said.
Much of the funds to kickstart this project came from the Gulf of Mexico Energy and Security Act.
So far, Sanchez said $9 million has been spent on renovations, but once future projects are invested in, Sanchez said that number could double.
She said getting bids came with a few hurdles.
“Yes, we’ve had delays, and we’ve had frustrations, but we just don’t give up,” Sanchez said.
Future projects include renovations to the beach area and a new boat ramp. To do that, the County would need to secure a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
A new interpretive conference center is also in the plans. The County is still searching for funding for this leg of the project.
Completed portions of the park are expected to open by late Summer or early Fall. Only active construction zones will remain closed.
