The generational evolution of a sports and recreation facility.
Part 2: Recreation Building & Consolidation of Properties
At a 1956 town council meeting, conversation began regarding the need for a recreation building large enough to play basketball in.[1] The February meeting records that the Civitan Club was spearheading the project, which included the club obtaining sizes, prices, and design.[2] The Civitan Club was made up of Rex Phillips, James Bugg, and Millard Thomas. The town council promised to cooperate with the club.
The following month, the town council passed a resolution to begin investigating and checking into the possibility of building a recreation center and approve a committee to work with the other organizations on the project.[3] The resulting committee consisted of Councilman M.H. Thompson as chair, Councilman James Bugg, and Councilman J.F. Sullivan.
The next update on the project came on June 4, 1956, when Councilman Thompson reported that he had visited several recreation buildings and will have some plans to present through the Civitan Club for Altoona.[4] Any progress on the potential recreation building was halted by the election of a new council in the fall of 1956. Previous committee (and council) members Thompson, Bugg, and Sullivan did not seek reelection.
On October 2, 1961, the town council passed a resolution to purchase the present Rec Center and Tennis/Basketball Court property.[5] Like the ball-field property two decades before, the motion to purchase was made after the actual transfer of deed, in which ownership was transferred from J.F. and Ida Sullivan to the Town of Altoona on September 11, 1961.[6]
There is some discrepancy regarding Rec building itself. The resolution mentions that the mayor, with support of the council had constructed a $10,000 building on the property prior to the purchase. Records from 1959 to early-1961 are incomplete, so the discussion surrounding the building, and the date it was completed unknown.
Over the course of the next few years, the rec center building hosted numerous community events, including a summer youth program, and a dinner hosted by the recreation club featuring deer-meat furnished by Earl Thompson.[7] The building also hosted Saturday night square dancing on behalf of the Mustang Music Organization.[8] In March 1963, the recreation club wanted to add flooring to the building. At the town council meeting it was agreed that the town would install the flooring if the club would give $1,100.00 to the project, the entirety of their funds on hands. It is not recorded if the club agreed to the resolution.
By 1965, plans were underway to merge to two schools on the west side of Etowah County. This would result in Walnut Grove and Altoona becoming West End. As a part of this process, the elementary school would occupy the former Altoona High School, while the high school would be in Walnut Grove. Due to the last game was played at Choctaw Field on Friday November 12, 1965.[9] While the field was still utilized for school events such as May Day, the Board of Education decided to deed the property back to the town. This transfer took place on March 5, 1968, resulted in the town paying $900 for the field.[10]
In May 1968, the town council offered to let the Altoona Lodge No. 612 F&AM and Evergreen Chapter No. 63 to have free use of the recreation for one year. The resulting vote was unanimous. The rec building was proving to be an invaluable asset for the social and recreational needs of the community. However, less than a year later, it would fill a role of the educational needs of a community.
On the night of Wednesday, January 29, 1969, the Altoona School was destroyed by a fire.[11] The fire which started in the principal office quickly spread to the rest of the structure. Classes were suspended for the rest of the week, while the community and Board of Education met to decide an appropriate solution to continue educating the students. When classes resumed the following Monday, first and second grade were housed in the Methodist church, while third grade was in the first Baptist church. Fourth grade teachers and students found themselves in the second Baptist church, and fifth and sixth grades were house in the recreation building.
During this time, it is unknown of the building still served the needs of the societies of the community or if all activities were suspended due to the residency of the school. However, records show that meetings were held at the building concerning the rebuilding of the school.[12]
With the recreation building in full use as a school, attention turned to the old football field. Alfred Sartin approached the council on June 2, 1969, requested that the field be utilized for community recreational purposes.[13] The council agreed on the condition that if the property could serve an industrial purpose, then recreational aspect would be pushed aside. There was also discussion for tennis courts to be placed on the south side of the field.
In the summer of 1970, With the new elementary school nearing completion, community use of the recreation building was set to resume. In July, there was a request to rent the building to hold Saturday night dances.[14] While this request was initially approved, by the time the August meeting rolled around, Mayor Kenneth Davis stated that the new elementary school would not be ready for a few more weeks.[15] As a result, the recreation building would still be required for classes.
At a later point during the school year, classes were transferred from the two churches and recreation building and into the new school building. With both the field and building now under complete ownership of the town, the third and final phase of the rec center would begin to take shape. What was once s separate field and community building would evolve into a park and recreational facility for the community.
[1] Altoona Council Minute Book 1948-1956, minutes of January 9, 1956, meeting.
[2] Altoona Council Minute Book 1948-1956, minutes of February 6, 1956, meeting.
[3] Altoona Council Minute Book 1948-1956, minutes of March 13, 1956, meeting.
[4] Altoona Council Minute Book 1948-1956, minutes of June 4, 1956, meeting.
[5] Alton Council Minutes October 2, 1961.
[6] Etowah County Deed Book 820, Page 679.
[7] Altoona Council Minutes, January 7, 1963 & June 3, 1963.
[8] Altoona Council Minutes, September 9, 1967.
[9] Alabama High School Football Historical Society, www.ahsfhs.org/Teams2/gamesbyyear.asp?year=1965&Team=Altoona
[10] Etowah County Deed Book 1082, Page 655 &656
[11] The Gadsden Times, January 30, 1969.
[12] Altoona Council Minutes, March 17, 1969.
[13] Altoona Council Minutes, June 9, 1969.
[14] Altoona Council Minutes, July 6, 1970.
[15] Altoona Council Minutes, August 3, 1970.
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