Good Neighbor Podcast: Auburn and Opelika

Ep. #61: Exploring Auburn's New Recreational Hub: Anne Bergman on the Exciting Vision for Lake Wilmore Campus

• Susannah Hodges at Village Centre Press

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Discover the grand vision behind Auburn's newest recreational marvel as we sit down with Ann Bergman, the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation's public relations specialist. Hear firsthand about the exciting features of the Lake Wilmore campus, set to become a hub of community activity. From state-of-the-art fitness facilities and an indoor walking track to a versatile indoor pool and a stunning array of pickleball courts, this campus promises to cater to all ages and interests. Ann reveals how the focus will be on expanding senior programs and enhancing community engagement, ensuring everyone in Auburn has access to top-notch recreational opportunities.

Mark your calendars for an exciting November, as Anne shares details about upcoming events and the launch of winter program registration on November 4th. Whether you're keen on joining fitness classes, exploring the beautiful campus, or just looking to stay informed about Auburn Parks and Recreation activities, Anne guides us on how to stay connected through their website and social media. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of Auburn's vibrant community growth and hear about the promising future that awaits at the Lake Wilmore campus.

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Susanna Hodges.

Speaker 2:

My guest is Anne Bergman, with the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation. She's the public relations specialist there. Welcome, anne, it's a pleasure having you today. Hello Good morning, so there's a lot of exciting things going on. Pleasure having you today. Hello, good morning. So there's a lot of exciting things going on with the Auburn Parks and Recreation. The main thing I like watching is the construction of the campus there at Lake Wilmore. Tell us what's going on with that and when it's going to open.

Speaker 3:

Yes, yes. So we are super, super excited about the opening of the Lake Wilmore campus. That campus includes a recreation center. It has two gyms, it has an indoor walking track, it has a state-of-the-art fitness center. There's going to be meeting rooms in the recreation center and there's going to be a lot of senior programs, 50-plus programs there. We currently have the Harris Center here, right across from the post office at the Parks and Rec campus off of Opelika Road. That's for seniors, but we feel like that area of Auburn is an area that's underserved for the 50 plus community. So there'll be a lot of fitness classes, a lot of senior programs there. So there'll be a lot of fitness classes, a lot of senior programs there.

Speaker 3:

There's also a covered indoor pool. When Health Plus left, you know, and they had a heated pool, a lot of people came and really wanted a heated pool. Once again, a lot of seniors. So it's a covered pool. So in the summertime we have these giant doors that open and in the winter they'll close. So it kind of gives you that outdoor, indoor feeling in the summer. And then what everyone's really excited about the pickleball community is absolutely yes exciting yes, yes, there's so many pickleball players out there.

Speaker 3:

there are going to be 12 covered lighted pickleball players out there. There are going to be 12 covered lighted pickleball courts and yeah, so everyone is just super excited. We are hoping to have Lake Wilmore open late fall 2024. So I'm thinking sometime here in November. And then phase two of Lake Wilmore will be three multi-purpose fields for everything from football, lacrosse, soccer, and then there'll be six more pickleball courts. We have a total of 18 lighted covered pickleball courts, which gives us the opportunity to have tournaments in the future.

Speaker 2:

So super, that'll be excellent.

Speaker 3:

Yes, it's a wonderful project. So for those that don't know where is Lake Wilmore, so if you're familiar with Auburn you would go over into the Moores Mill area. There's Ogletree Elementary. You literally just go past Ogletree Elementary and the Lake Wilmore campus is right there. The address is 2000 Grove Hill Road, so it's right there. I mean, if you know where Ogletree Elementary is you know where. Lake Wilmore is.

Speaker 2:

Well, you know, you can look at some progress photos on your website and I was looking at it today and just beautiful, absolutely. I'm so excited it's going to be a beautiful campus.

Speaker 3:

Yes, yes and yeah. And then when folks can always check our Facebook, our website, auburnalabamaorg slash parks, and when we open it, we will shout it from the rooftops but yes, you go there. If you go to COA Parks and Rec on Facebook and and the expected date as soon as we know it, that's where we're going to post it. Okay, yeah.

Speaker 2:

So we're looking at the month of November here, so what are some things that people need to know about? Fun things to do this month and some things that are coming up for the Parks and Recreation?

Speaker 3:

Yes, so November 4th that's Monday we start our winter program registration. The winter brochure is out right now. It's in the library and all parks and rec facilities. Now, it's in the library and all parks and rec facilities, it's in Auburn City Hall or you can get it online, obviously. And registration for all those programs begins Monday, november 4th.

Speaker 3:

Now we have a lot of different categories. First, we have all of our events coming up. We have the Jingle Jog coming up, we have the Ho Ho Ho Hype coming up. These are things you're going to be able to register for. We also have a lot of senior programs, 50 plus programs. We have fine art programs ceramic studio, drawing classes, painting classes.

Speaker 3:

We have athletics. We have we don't have any um youth sports registration going on right now, but there is tennis, of course, and tennis we do ages four to a hundred. Uh, that registration's going on. And then also we have some basketball on, and then also we have some basketball uh, some individual trainers offer fast, like kind of like basketball camps. And then we also have fitness classes and we also have therapeutic classes. Those are for adults and children um special needs, and those are some great things you can do and also, if they want to participate in special Olympics. You can find that in the brochure. So, and registration begins November 4th. If you are an Auburn resident, you get precedence for the first two weeks and then we open up registration to the general public after that.

Speaker 2:

Oh, it sounds exciting. I always love the winter activities in Auburn. It's just so much fun.

Speaker 3:

I know, and our new ceramic studio is unbelievable. If you've registered for ceramics in the past and you're like, oh boy, it's already, you know it's already full. We have added so many more new wheels and new hand building. So, yes, super, that's a great thing to do in the winter and new hand building.

Speaker 2:

So yes, super, that's a great thing to do in the winter. So you know, sports is a big deal in the fall in Auburn and you were telling me before we started recording here about a championship game that's coming up yes, it is called the Sugar Bowl and I hate that.

Speaker 3:

I don't know how many years the Sugar Bowl has been going on, but it's been going on.

Speaker 3:

I want a long time, for 30 years Names after the famous show Jordan, that's how we say it. It is Saturday, november 9th, and that begins at 9 am and that is when all ages for our tackle football are. I like to call it peewee, that's the younger guys, yeah, and then there's tackle football. I like to call it Pee Wee, that's the younger guys. And then there's flag football. Flag football has taken off. It is huge, and with girls. So people have all day all the championships for flag football and tackle football taking place right there at Duck Sanford Stadium, at the corner of Glenn, right there. And yeah, it's $3. And we use that money for scholarships. The gate fee goes to scholarships for kids that can't afford. Our programs are very affordable, but it's no charge for, um, kids that meet a certain income criteria, right, um? So that the general public is invited to that. And that is november 4th or, excuse me, november, november 9th november 9th yes sugar bowl always a fun day.

Speaker 3:

and where do and where do you hold that? You said Duck Saver. Yes, duck Saver. Right where the high school plays fast football and soccer. Okay, right there on the corner of. University and Glenn, that's right yes.

Speaker 2:

Yes, so what are you guys doing? Veterans Day it's coming up on the 11th of November.

Speaker 3:

That's correct. Coming up on the 11th of November, that's correct. So the city, which is downtown, they will actually hold a Veterans Day ceremony. We have a Veterans Day memorial and they invite all the veterans in the community. It's a lovely ceremony and they'll lay a wreath on the Veterans Memorial. If you would like to participate in that, all of the Parks and Rec facilities will be closed on Veterans Day and also, like City Hall, the library, a lot of things like that will be closed, obviously, police, fire safety. They stay open and there will be a delay, obviously, and pick up on your trash that day. So, yes, so we do. That is a city holiday and everyone is off that day to you know, remember all the great men and women who have served our country and we're such a wonderful free country because of them.

Speaker 3:

So right well, we will honor that day.

Speaker 2:

So you know, in the fall, you're also looking ahead to things that are happening next year. You were telling me there were some registration or application opportunities during the month of November for things that are coming up next year.

Speaker 3:

Yes. So City Market oh, everyone loves City Market. That is our farmer's market. That happens every Saturday in the summer here at Town Creek Park. It's a wonderful event. Everyone loves it. It's from 9 am to noon and many, many people say how can I be a vendor? How can I be a vendor? Well, city market applications go live November 14th, and so all those folks that are like I want want to get in. I want to be a vendor, because we do have a limited number. That is when you register. Uh, another thing we do that's really fun here is if you want to be a vendor and you're a baker, uh, we like you to submit what you bake and then we taste it. Oh, fun, whoever's the best, I love it. I'm an official taster, just so everybody knows. So definitely submit your breads and cakes and muffins.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, obviously the growers, the vegetable people, we don't make them submit, but the bakers we do. Uh, but it's a, it's a great event and um yeah, so registration will go live.

Speaker 2:

applications will go live on november 14th, so we're getting ready, uh, for the christmas season. Um, it's so exciting this time of year and the parks and recreation department has a really fun art sale going on this month. So tell us a little bit about the holiday art sale.

Speaker 3:

Okay, so I want to say this is our 12th holiday art sale. This is a wonderful event, a beloved event here in Auburn. So what will happen is it's a holiday art sale to be from 9am to 4pm art sale to be from 9am to 4pm. The Frank Brown Rec Center, the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center and some places outside will be filled with local and regional artists. They will be selling handcrafted items, beautiful things, one of a kind gifts, heirlooms that you can give your family, one of a kind gifts heirlooms that you can give your family. It's free to the public. It's a great way to kick off the holiday season. There'll be paintings, stained glass, jewelry, ceramics, knitted things, hats, gloves, you name it. It's really, really a special event and, like I said, we love it because coats can really kick off their holiday season. One of my favorite things is the gal that will paint your dog's picture on a Christmas ornament.

Speaker 1:

I love that.

Speaker 3:

Yes, and there was another guy Our family loves jigsaw puzzles and he had kind of this board that you could put your jigsaw puzzle on and then when you're not working on it you can kind of fold it up and set it aside and it rotates, so everybody can like work different sides of the puzzles. Those are just some of the cool things that I have purchased over the year in the pottery, and then of course the reeds pottery and then of course the reeds um door hangers, anything holiday related. Um, you can go there and they've and it's all handcrafted and um, I believe it's 10 percent of all the proceeds go to the auburn arts association and that money goes to fund children's art programs in the summer at the jantipsey Community Arts Center. So it's really a wonderful event. It's very popular and it's one of my favorites. It's just a lovely time and so just can meander through the different booths and talk to the artists. They love to talk and and, yeah, we'll find something for someone Christmas.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 3:

Yes, and and yeah, we'll find something for someone christmas yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 2:

Well, tell us again how to find out more information about the things that are going on this month at the um auburn parks and recreation your website, phone numbers, that kind of thing yes, so you can just go to auburn alabamaorg slash parks, uh, or you can call the Harris center.

Speaker 3:

That's our administrative offices. That's three, three, four, five, oh, one, two, nine, three, oh, or please, please, follow us and like us on Facebook at COA parks and rec, or go to Instagram at COA parks and rec and check it out. We always highlight all of our programs, our events. It's a great way to see everything that Parks and Rec is doing. Auburn Parks and Rec.

Speaker 2:

Well, thank you, Anne, for being my guest today. I've really enjoyed talking to you and talking about what's going on in Auburn.

Speaker 3:

Well, thank you so much, Susanna.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast, auburn. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpauburncom. That's gnpauburncom, or call 334-429-7404.