Rendering courtesy of the city of Chelsea
Proposed plans for a park at the Chelsea Community Center include a splash pad, a wading pool, a multipurpose athletic field, four pickleball courts, an archery park, an amphitheater and a playground that will feature inclusive equipment for children with disabilities.
Since opening in 2015, the Chelsea Community Center has become a hub of activity within the city, with visitors coming from within the city and surrounding communities. Soon, these visitors will see a vast amount of growth at the community center as it begins an expansion project to develop surrounding land for outdoor activities.
The community center currently features a walking track, weight room, basketball and pickleball courts, as well as a dining room, activity room and business rooms that are available for rent by the hour.
“We have businesses from different parts of Shelby County and into Jefferson County that come here and have healthcare meetings. United Way, the Kiwanis meet here, CBA [Chelsea Business Alliance], a lot of 4H groups,” Jane Anne Mueller, coordinator for the community center said. “Boy Scout, Girl Scout troops and then a lot of people come and rent the space to do seminars.”
The outdoor expansion project will take between two to three years to finish.
Additions visitors can expect to see are outdoor pickleball courts, an amphitheatre and a pavilion for hosting outdoor events. There will also be an outdoor walking track, multipurpose athletic field and playground equipped with inclusive equipment for users of different ages and abilities.
A splash pad and zero entry lap pool will prove to be popular during in the summertime, but Mueller expects the new archery range to bring even more visitors out due to the popularity of their current archeryprogram.
“The Chelsea Community Center is a little different than our other facilities in Shelby County because we were built for a true community center for all ages. A lot of our centers in Shelby County are senior centers and they’re targeted just toward the senior population, but we want to attract all ages here.” Mueller said. “Keep people moving, keep people exercising for their well-being.”
There have been a few updates inside the facility as well. Originally a free facility, they will be switching to a membership program to enable them to keep track of who comes and goes at the center.
A single Chelsea or Shelby County resident can pay $75 for a year-long membership, or $37.50 semi-annually. The family rate is $125 annually, or $62.50 semi-annually.
Active and retired military, along with Shelby County residents 65 years and older get free memberships. The community center has even recently been approved to be a Silver Sneakers facility for senior citizens.
“If you come to the community center now to walk on the track everyday or attend a class, you can scan your Silver Sneakers card and your insurance gets notified that you’re doing something,” Mueller said. “You’re going to a facility to work out.”
With Chelsea being the fastest growing city in Alabama, Mueller said the community center’s commitment to supplying the demand of their visitors is what sets them apart.
“We’ve got the property, we’ve got the people that want it, we’ve got the space to do it in and the desire in our heart to make it happen,” she said.
This story is part of our Year in Preview. See more here.
