“The meeting went very well,” Mayor Rusty Jessup said.
Jessup said more than 40 people attended the community meeting Tuesday. The town recently purchased the old D & S Marina located along Depot Street across from Town Hall. The town received a $99,500 US Department of Agriculture grant toward the purchase of the marina, and the St. Clair County Commission helped with a big portion of the remainder of the $310,000 purchase price.
“The town’s grant writer, Kelley Keeton Taft with SMW Engineering Group, was present at the community meeting to get feedback in order to create a five-year master plan for the marina and park development,” he said.
Taft said the community meeting was one of the requirements needed in the town’s application for a $50,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant through ADECA (Alabama Department of Economic Affairs).
The marina property is a little less than two acres and includes three docks in need of repair, a convenience store, street-side and waterfront gas pumps, and more.
Taft said if the town is awarded the grant, the money would be used for bank stabilization, new piers, upgrade of the boat ramp, restrooms, a camping area, perimeter boardwalk for fishing and pedestrian use, a picnic area, a weigh-in station for fishing tournaments, and placing the utilities underground.
Jessup said there was a lot of positive feedback from the community at Tuesday’s meeting.
“I didn’t hear anything negative,” he said. “The comments were all really positive in nature. The whole town seems to be excited about what is happening here with the marina.”
Jessup said representatives from Alabama Power Company and the Alabama Scenic River Trail attended the meeting. The town will work with APC during the renovation process, and the marina will be part of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, which currently has over 631 miles of navigable river trails through Alabama.
Some ideas from the audience Tuesday included:
• Clearing out the area near Bukes Lane near the marina to add to the aesthetics of the area.
• Add picnic tables for families with garbage cans nearby.
• Have the marina store offer gasoline, and also carry grocery items such as milk and bread.
• Put a small eatery or restaurant on the property or in the store so area residents have a place to purchase take-out food locally.
• Set consistent store hours as part of the Town’s lease of the facility so residents will know when the store will be open.
• Keep the marina store open year-round.
• Host fishing tournaments and other events at the marina.
• Provide a supply store for canoe or kayak enthusiasts.
• Keep a rustic look for the marina store.
• Put green awning similar to the façade at Town Hall at the marina so the look blends in with the building.
• Discussed possible names for the marina. One suggestion was “Our Town Marina,” but no decision has been made on the marina’s name.
• Discussed underwater lighting, and also old period street lighting at the marina and park property across from the marina.
Jessup said the five-year plan will include not only the new marina property, but tie in the Coleman Park property adjacent to Town Hall in an over-all master plan for the town’s park areas.
“We had a lot of other great ideas, and a lot of good discussion,” Jessup said. “We also have an idea box at Town Hall where residents can come write down their suggestions for us to consider.”
Jessup said the idea box will remain at Town Hall for 3-4 weeks.
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