Calera officials will request $300,000 from the Chemical Lime company to construct a new concession stand and bathroom complex at Calera High School’s Ricky M. Cairns stadium.

The announcement came during a June 7 Calera City Council meeting, during which Calera Parks and Recreation Board member Hank Lucas outlined several projects the board would like to see completed in and around Oliver Park.

Lucas listed the proposed projects in order of importance to the Parks and Recreation Board, and said replacing the stadium’s concession stand and bathrooms is a “necessity.”

“Replacing the concession stand and bathrooms at this point is almost a must,” Lucas told the board.

Constructing the new concession stand and bathrooms likely will cost about $300,000, according to the City Council, and will be funded mostly by Chemical Lime.

About three years ago, Chemical Lime agreed to donate $7 million to the city to construct a sports complex in and around Oliver Park. However, Calera will provide in-kind donations to the project, like utility lines and labor.

In addition to the new concession stand and restrooms, Lucas also listed youth sports practice and game fields, practice and game fields for high school sports and band, renovating the football stadium’s turf, replacing the stadium’s track surface and installing new visitor side bleachers as top priorities at Oliver Park.

“We came up with this list of four items because it’s what we felt we could do now,” Lucas said. “We asked ourselves ‘is this what we can do with the money we have access to now?’”

Lucas was only able to provide a cost estimate for the concession stand and bathroom replacement, and said the city would handle each project as the one before it is completed.

Once the four projects are finished, Calera will have a “world class” recreational facility, and will be able to better handle the city’s current youth and school sports teams.

“Youth soccer and softball are in a dire situation right now,” Lucas said. “And I want the high school to have the best, because it’s going to be a 6A school.

If the city and Chemical Lime completes the first four projects, Calera officials will then begin to seek funding for a tennis complex and an indoor multi-purpose sports facility near Oliver Park, Lucas said.

In other business, the council accepted a pair of roads in the Kensington Place subdivision.

The city accepted Kensington Court and Kensington Boulevard after the developer brought the streets up to Calera’s code of standard.

As a result of the road acceptances, the Calera Street Department will now care for and maintain the two roads.