TUSCALOOSA, AL — The ongoing push for a new Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority (PARA) activity center in Fosters hit yet another major roadblock on Wednesday as the Tuscaloosa County Commission failed to pass two motions pertaining to bids for the project.
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As Patch has previously reported, District 4 Commissioner Reginald Murray has been vocal about his district being the only one of the four commission districts without a PARA activity center.
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The new center was proposed for Braughton Park, with initial plans calling for the same amenities as the Tingle Center, such as a pool with water slides, an indoor walking track, a gymnasium and additional space set aside for a possible second gym.
Ellis Architects estimated the total cost to be $18,110,000 for all phases of construction.
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Following a brief executive session Wednesday where the matter was discussed, the first motion dealt with Ellis Architects providing four alternate proposals in addition to the base bid that would match the funding and amenities of the Jerry Tingle Center in District 2.
The first measure failed to receive a vote after not receiving a motion for a second.
The Commission then considered authorizing Ellis Architects to develop bid documents and advertise for a bid that solely matched the Tingle Center — the newest PARA activity center, which opened in McCalla in 2018.
This measure failed 3-2, with District 1 Commissioner Stan Acker and District 3 Commissioner Mark Nelson voting against, while District 2’s Jerry Tingle and Murray voted in favor. Probate Judge Rob Robertson served as the tiebreaker on the measure and voted against the approving to advertise for a base bid matching the Tingle Center.
As Patch previously reported, concerns for those opposed to the new activity center have cited financial concerns relating to such a large project and the turbulent economic climate at present.
Additionally, opponents have cited an overall negative impact to other nearby PARA activity centers that are already struggling to retain members.
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