The Randall Family Park & Trailhead and the contiguous 0.6-mile path represents the initial phase of the Northern Riverwalk project by Elevate Tuscaloosa. The Randall family donated 19 acres to the City of Tuscaloosa to develop the Northern Riverwalk outdoor recreational area along the Black Warrior River. The City’s goals were to provide riverfront access in North Tuscaloosa, create a popular destination that offered recreational opportunities, and improve connectivity by linking the Riverwalk to nearby residential and commercial areas.
To complement the park and trails on the southern bank, Northern Riverwalk’s paved trails allow for recreation or exercise. The open lawn is sized to accommodate soccer, football, and baseball. The versatile greenspace encourages use by the community and specifically the neighboring hotel and church for any number of activities. The overlook pavilion provides grilling areas, restrooms, shade, and a party space with views of the river. Play areas, hammock stands, bike repair stations, water fountains with bottle filling, and custom art sculptures are a few of the amenities that add intrigue and value for park visitors. Along the trailways, interpretative signage offers explanations of wetlands and pollinators, while also educating visitors on the importance of the Black Warrior River. City officials along with a team of architects, engineers, landscape architects, contractors, and suppliers came together to bring the vision of the City of Tuscaloosa to life with the Randall Family Park and Trailhead at Northern Riverwalk. In April, Northern Riverwalk was recognized with a Merit Award for General Design from the Alabama Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. With the gift of an additional 6.6 acres from the Randall family, a second phase of the park is currently in design. The trails will be extended to the northeast connecting McWright’s Ferry Road to the Randall Family Park & Trailhead.
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Mayor Gillespie, Jr. and the Prattville Parks and Recreation Department held the ribbon-cutting for the first phase renovations of Newton Park. In March of 2024, the park reopened with five new tennis courts, four pickleball courts, and concessions/restroom facility. HNP master-planned the layout and provided construction drawings for the courts, landscaping, site furniture, and irrigation. The courts feature new LED lights on a timer so games can be played at night. This cost-effective option promotes safety and gives those using the courts more flexibility to enjoy the park. Additional improvements to come in phase two include the redevelopment of five existing tennis courts to 14 pickleball courts, additional tennis courts, skate park, and enhancements to the existing parking lot.
Bill Noble Park opened in the spring of 2023 in Gardendale, Alabama, 12 miles north of Birmingham. Just minutes off of Interstate 65, this 46-acre multi-faceted sports complex has already proven to be a destination park for both residents and traveling athletes.
HNP Landscape Architecture provided design services from initial Site Planning and Program Development to Ball Trajectory Studies, Playground Design Concept and Coordination, Site Furniture and Amenity Specifications, Landscape Drawings, Irrigation Coordination, Estimation, Field Construction Documentation (Fencing, Equipment, Surface, Grading, Drainage), and ongoing Construction Observation. The park boasts synthetic turf fields for nine softball/baseball diamonds, batting cages, bullpens, and a football/soccer field. It features eight renovated tennis courts, 11 pickleball courts, two basketball courts, and a sand volleyball court. Other special features include an honor wall, concession buildings and grandstands, playground, community building with exterior social space, misting area, event lawns, maintenance facility and a designated area for future nature trails. Throughout the summer, the park hosted adult softball and kickball. Fall was in full swing with baseball, softball, football and pickleball. The park even added numerous special events and vendor markets for the community to enjoy. In December of 2023, the HNP-designed pickleball courts at Bill Noble Park were recognized by the American Sports Builders Association as the Outdoor Pickleball Facility of the Year. Several Birmingham companies came together to design and build Bill Noble Park, a diversified sports complex that opened in 2023 for the City of Gardendale. Bill Noble Park is a 46-acre destination park featuring more than 30 fields and courts for baseball, softball, soccer, football, tennis, pickleball, and basketball. Incorporating the sheer number of these uses with the additional amenities including a playground, misting area, event lawn, gathering spaces and community building required seamless communication and collaboration. HNP provided landscape architecture services for the entire project, including athletic fields, courts and landscaping design. As construction contractor, Stone Building Co. exhibited the knowledge required for mass grading, structures, fields, courts, landscaping, stormwater, and utilities throughout the project. Grading alone for the park required moving an impressive 300,000 cubic yards of earth and rock. Bill Noble Park was a $33 mil project for the City of Gardendale. Other partners included: LBYD Engineers, Williams Blackstock Architects, and Jackson Renfro & Associates, Inc.
Learn more about Stone Building Company here. Shelley joined HNP in July of 2023. She is a marketing professional with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from Jacksonville State University. Originally from Homewood, AL, she began her career in Tallahassee and south Georgia before moving back to her hometown after more than a decade in shopping center marketing in the Mobile Bay area. With her background in commercial development, real estate, management, and public relations, Shelley brings extensive experience to the team. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two teenagers. Shelley is thrilled to be a part of HNP, combining her expertise, passion for nature, and love of sports. |