New recreation center brings events to Homewood

Dear friends and neighbors,

I wanted to take a moment to thank a very special group who did a tremendous job a couple of weeks ago. Park Board Director Berkley Squires and his team hosted a huge basketball tournament in Homewood. Prior to the new Recreational Center being built, this was never a good option because of space needed to host such a large event. The event hosted 103 teams playing a total of 93 games over the weekend. There were more than 1,200 participants that brought around 3,500 fans into Homewood who otherwise would not have been here. 

Events like this are great for our hotels and restaurants and certainly add revenue to our budget. The accolades the city received from visitors over the weekend were tremendous, and everyone had a great time. This was the first time the city bid for the Alabama Recreation and Parks Association State Basketball Championship, and because of our new facilities, we will have many opportunities to host others and show off our wonderful city.

From time to time, we have groups come to City Hall to take a tour. Not long ago we hosted All Saints Cub Scout Pack 297, and I really enjoyed getting to meet the young men and some of the parents. We have previously hosted many other wonderful troops and packs located throughout the city. 

Tours of City Hall traditionally include the Mayor’s Office, Council Chambers, the Finance Department and the City Clerk’s Office. I’m always surprised at some of the really good questions the boys have, and we take the opportunity to talk about government and community service. 

I explain how our city government operates, how many people it takes to provide service to our residents and businesses, and how the voting process works from a city council perspective. I also talk about how important it is to be good stewards of others’ money and how much it helps our city when people purchase goods and services here in Homewood. Hopefully, the young men find the tour to be a great civic lesson about just how important it is to give back to our community. If you help coordinate groups within the city, consider calling JJ Bischoff, my chief of staff, to schedule an appointment with your children. His number is 332-6112.

And finally, I want to thank you for allowing me to serve. Whether it’s simply giving a tour of city hall, visiting the schools and talking to classes, or negotiating terms that are beneficial to our city, I’m always reminded just how fortunate I am to be involved. I’m always so proud of our city, our residents, our churches and our businesses. We have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams in Homewood, and I know our best days are yet to come! 

Sincerely,

Scott McBrayer

Mayor

City of Homewood