HOLLY POND, Ala. – The Holly Pond Town Council on Monday evening approved the design for the community’s new senior center that will be located near the Guy Hunt Library on the town’s west side. Based on a plan submitted by 5RDesign, the 2,000 square foot building will feature an 895 square foot dining/recreation room, 287 square foot kitchen and large double doors on the south and east sides. The east entrance will have a drive-through canopy and nearby handicap parking.
Council members voted to add an additional single door on the north end of the building that would make evacuating faster in the event of an emergency and could ease extension of the building during a future expansion. The council also opted for a full brick exterior and a fully paved parking lot at a combined increase to the project cost of $43,000-50,000. Members cited safe access for seniors as their main concern in rejecting a part-gravel parking lot.
The Town of Holly Pond received a $250,000 Community Development Block Grant awarded by Gov. Kay Ivey to build the center.
Other council business
The council also approved:
- A motion to test water quality in the well on a ¾-acre parcel of unused town property being considered for sale to the owner of an adjacent home site. The parcel is the former location of one of Holly Pond’s water pumping stations. Potential liability over the well was the reason for the decision to test before sale.
- A motion to purchase three new flood lights for the ballpark walking trail at a cost of $500 per light.
- A motion to replace five ballpark concession stand door handles, replacing worn knobs and bringing them up to code for handicap access, at a total cost of $600.
The council discussed using the former Carpenter’s Cabinet building behind Jack’s, recently returned to the town after the food pantry closed, as a location for community club meeting and event rentals. The town has also received back the building that formerly housed the “Middle of Nowhere” antique store and tabled a motion to sell that property until council members can get more information about the building.
The Holly Pond Town Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the Guy Hunt Library. The public is invited to attend.
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