MONTGOMERY — The city of Carbon Hill is turning a former disaster site into an asset thanks to a nearly $400,000 grant announced by Gov. Kay Ivey.
The city will use the grant, totaling $397,573 from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, to construct a swimming pool at Central Park. The 15-acre site was the location of a school before it was destroyed by a tornado in 2011.
The swimming pool is the latest project in the city’s efforts to convert the property into a recreational venue since that disaster.
“Alabamians have always been resilient following tragedy and disaster, and the city of Carbon Hill is proof of that,” Gov. Ivey said. “This project will never erase the devastation seen in the city on that tragic day in 2011, but I am certainly confident it will help create some wonderful memories from its opening day and forward.”
The 4,300-square-foot pool will have a depth ranging from three to 10 feet and will be constructed next to the city’s splash pad. The park also has several ball fields and a gymnasium.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a program of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The LWCF program is administered in Alabama by the Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
“The city of Carbon Hill is to be commended for this project which will serve as a crown jewel in this park,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is pleased to join Gov. Ivey in congratulating the city for this project.”
Gov. Ivey notified Carbon Hill Mayor David Phillips that the grant had been approved. The city of Carbon Hill is providing the required matching funds of $397,573 for the project.
ADECA manages a range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management.
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