Gardendale Parks

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

Gardendale offers residents plenty of space to gather and play, with three large main parks and a couple of smaller ones perfect for families and children. The parks are strategically placed around the community, and most are within walking distance of Gardendale’s larger subdivisions. The city’s wellmaintained facilities—helmed by director Dale Hyche and maintenance supervisors Greg Hughes and Chris Lorino—are a point of pride for Mayor Stan Hogeland.

“I took a part-time job with the city, within the parks and recreation department, when I was 14, and then a full-time job at age 18,” says Mayor Hogeland, who went on to become Gardendale’s parks and rec director for many years. “As the city grew, I grew into the role, and I stayed there 35 years. It was my dream job.” He notes the importance of the parks as a gathering spot for the community, as well as a safe place for youth to hang out and an economic boom to the city through sports tournaments.

Bill Noble Park

This was definitely the thought behind Gardendale’s Bill Noble Park—named after former mayor (19721996) Bill Noble—which reopened this spring after a $32 million redevelopment. The complex is home to Gardendale’s youth baseball, softball, football, tennis

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