Where fun meets life

STORY BY LONNA UPTON PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS & JAKE ARTHUR

Alexander City Parks and Recreation makes life fun for young and old and everyone in-between in the Lake Martin area. Besides four parks, approximately 250 acres, two pools, a boat ramp and a golf course, Sonny Wilson, director of parks and rec for the last 10 years, also manages the Charles E. Bailey, Sr. Sportplex, a forested 212-acre public park that is renowned in central Alabama.

“We are so blessed to have a facility like this one in our city. We have something for all age groups – youth, middle years and seniors. Lake Martin and the sportplex are what bring large numbers of people to Alexander City,” Wilson said.

The sportplex is a mecca for Alabama High School Association athletics and youth recreation leagues under the direction of athletic supervisor Nick Hand. The football stadium, which seats 5,000, as well as the baseball and softball fields, are used for Benjamin Russell High School athletics and youth programs for children aged 5 to 12. Adult programs include softball, kickball and flag football. State and regional tournaments bring hundreds of visitors and locals alike to the fields.

“We have had up to 40 teams with 15 members on each team plus all their families. That’s a lot of people in Alexander City. Parents always compliment our fields. We have 10 full-time employees on our maintenance crew that keeps our fields

Benjamin Russell High School cheerleaders support their team at the sportplex stadium

Softball tournaments bring revenue to the city as well as good times Families cool off at the splashplex

A 3-mile trail offers birding and other wildlife viewing opportunities

looking great and our facilities top-notch. Every day is different for them. They never know what they will be doing, from cutting grass to repairs, but they do a great job,” Wilson said.

Also for the kids, programs for soccer, cheerleading and basketball are provided. The splashplex water park in the sportplex allows children to have hours of fun in the sun with dropping buckets of water and numerous fountains. Parents are provided with a shaded pavilion. “I believe we should invest money in our children in their early years and get them on the right track. They need safe places to play and have time with their families. And a good coach can make a huge difference in the life of a child,” Wilson said.

For all ages, disc golf enthusiasts can find their fun at the sportplex on a course recognized by the Disc Golf Association. The nine-hole course covers a rolling elevation that challenges enthusiasts to sink their discs into the metal baskets. The Alexander City Horse Riding Club, boasting 200 members, has a riding arena in the park, and the Alexander City Archery Club enjoys an archery range on the park grounds.

For adult fitness and fun, the park offers a 3-mile walking trail, which is also included on the list of Alabama Birding Trails as an excellent place to spot the woodland birds that inhabit the region. For added physical challenge, an outdoor fitness circuit provides muscle building and toning with body weight exercises and cardio, a comprehensive regimen that can meet the level each individual prefers.

The cabin and pavilion at the sportplex are large enough to accommodate 40 to 50 people and are available to rent for reunions, celebrations and fun with family and friends. Wilson said the buildings are continuously rented, and he believes the park could rent 20 more buildings if they were available.

The senior center focuses on activities, such as art classes, quilting, cards and trips for adults aged 50 and over. Wilson said he realized how important the senior center really was when the seniors could not come due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that they are back, with precautions, he said the center is thriving, thanks to the efforts of Corley Holt, activity center supervisor.

Through the years, the sportplex has grown with the needs of the community. Future plans may include a limited campground with full hook-ups, which will meet the needs of some guests who want to camp while visiting the park for ball tournaments.

“This would be a small campground, five to 15 lots, not like Wind Creek State Park, but just so people who come for tournaments and play several games a day have some place to go in between games or to cool off. Lots of visitors bring their campers now, but we really don’t have the facilities to accommodate them like we should,” Wilson said.

The sportplex in Alexander City has been described as an area with beauty and serenity that offers a retreat for the soul. For locals and visitors seeking open spaces and dozens of opportunities to play, the sportplex makes fun happen year round.