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Photo by Madoline Markham.
Homewood Community Center Exterior Construction
Park Board Chair Chris Meeks and Parks and Recreation Director Berkeley Squires take a look at the exterior of the new Homewood Community Center, set to open in May.
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Community Center Construction Cardio
This room will soon boast a selection of cardio equipment.
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Community Center Construction Gym Floor
The gym floor is currently being painted. The center will feature two full size courts.
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Community Center Construction Gyms
The center's two gymnasiums can be divided.
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Community Center Construction Pool
The outlines of the future pool can be seen at the current construction site.
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Community Center Construction Track
An indoor track wraps around the second floor of two indoor gyms.
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Community Center Construction Welcome Area
Park Board Chair Chris Meeks and Homewood Star Publisher Dan Starnes tour the new community center building, entering the gym areas.
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Community Center Construction Classroom
The tour group looks over the pool area construction from a future exercise classroom.
When the City of Homewood was designing its new Senior Center in 2002, the average age of its residents was 55. A decade later, that number had dropped by 20 years.
So when plans for a new community center came into motion, the City and Parks and Recreation Board had the community’s families in mind.
“Our seniors have the nicest senior center in the state, and once this is done, I feel like we will have the top community center in the state as well,” said Berkley Squires, director of parks and recreation and public services.
After 13 months of construction, the new center next to Homewood Central Park is scheduled to open in mid-May.
In the planning stages for the center, the Park Board took into consideration the comments of both members and residents who are not members about what they wanted in a facility. The result is a $16 million, 51,000-square-foot center with two full-court gymnasiums, a cardio room with more than 4,000 square feet, additional parking, free Wi-Fi, a multipurpose room, a 25-yard competition pool and a recreational pool.
The building is also more energy efficient with a climate control system. B.L. Harbert International was the the contractor, and Davis Architects designed the building.
Membership is projected to increase by about 33 percent to around 5,800 members as a result of the new facility.
Squires emphasized that the center does not strive to compete with commercial gyms but rather will be a family setting where Mom and Dad work out while their kids play basketball in the gym or watch TV in the new lounge area. The desire of its leadership is to provide fitness and recreation opportunities at reasonable prices.
After months of anticipation, Squires said there is a lot of buzz in the community about the facility and that he is excited to get in it and get it open.
“As a council or park board member said, it’s kind of like our country club, especially in the summer,” Squires said.
“We think it’s going to be a great thing for the community for years to come.”
For updates on the center’s opening, visit thehomewoodstar.com and watch our May issue.
New Membership Fees
Total Access Paid Annually: $175 for first household member, $25 per additional member
Senior (55+) Total Access Paid Annually: $70 for first household member, $10 per additional member 55+, $25 per additional member under 55
Total Access Charged/Debited Monthly: $17.50 for first household member, $2.50 per additional member. *12-month contract required, available starting May 1
Pool Only Homewood Resident Membership: $150 for first household member, $25 per additional member
Community Center Hours
Monday-Friday, 5:30 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday, 1-6 p.m.
All memberships are available to Homewood residents only, unless grandfathered in as a current non-resident All-Purpose Membership holder or non-resident Senior All-Purpose Membership holder. A household is defined as two adults age 23 and older with dependent children age 22 and younger residing in the same household. Children 3 years and younger are free but must be listed on membership.
