After months of development, Larry Simmons Stadium in Alabaster, Ala., has reopened for visitors to take advantage of its new walking and jogging track.
The city of Alabaster reopened Larry Simmons Stadium after roughly nine months of construction on Thursday, May 9.
“It’s awesome to see because it’s been such a staple in the community for so many years,” said Neal Wagner, public relations manager for the city of Alabaster. “There’s a lot of history there in the stadium and with this project we really tried to keep the history in place there.”
The city worked to give the local landmark a facelift with various improvements including a new entryway and renovations to the field house which were handled by Wrappermike in Alabaster. The field house features the city’s logo and branding as well as the phrase “home of the warriors.” [Shelby County Reporter]
Documents released April 19 from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs detail a plan for “Preclearing Excavation Work” at the 114-year-old Matthews Arena which, for the past several years, has seen increasing signs of structural issues. These plans include the removal of soil, chemicals and parts of previous building foundations.
The file contains documents from 2022 to 2024, and though earlier papers list the site as “Matthews Arena,” more recent reports for the same location are entitled “Multipurpose Arena” or “Northeastern University – New Arena,” indicating that the institution may have changed its plans for the historic arena.
The university is currently “explor[ing] opportunities to build a new arena in the near future,” a spokesperson said in a statement to The News. [The Huntington News]
Orcutt Academy High School will host the grand opening of its new multi-use gymnasium building Monday, May 20 at 5 p.m.
The event is open to the public and will take place inside the new facility.
Construction on the facility began with a groundbreaking in August of 2022. According to an Orcutt Union School District news release, the $12.5 million facility and adjacent parking lot were funded primarily by Measure G, a bond measure approved by OUSD voters in November of 2016.
The building will be utilized for physical education, school events and rallies, basketball games and volleyball matches and performances. The Orcutt Children's Arts Foundation provided funding support for lighting and sound equipment for the stage, according to the news release. [Santa Maria Times]
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