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By EMILY SPARACINO | Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY – Shelby County is expanding its recreational opportunities for residents in the form of two new parks near the U.S. 280 corridor.

Dunnavant Valley Park and Double Oak Park will afford “unbelievable views” and ample space for walking, hiking and other outdoor activities, according to Shelby County Manager Chad Scroggins.

“In the first eight months of this budget year, our sales tax revenues that we had budgeted exceeded our projections, so we were able to invest those funds into an offering that will be there forever,” Scroggins said during his State of the County address in October.

Dunnavant Valley Park will be located on 10 acres of property the county purchased on Shelby County 41, about 2 miles from U.S. 280 at the old Mt Laurel Organic Garden site directly across from Dunnavant Place.

The park will be easily accessible to residents no matter their physical condition, Scroggins said.

The gravel parking lot is in place, playground equipment will be installed in the next few weeks and construction of restrooms and a new pavilion is nearing completion.

“There is a small lake that will be accessible for a young person to catch their first fish,” he added.

The initial entrance and exit will be located on Shelby County 41.

“There is a planned residential development owned by a developer that is adjacent, and the future entrance and exit may move to their access road,” Scroggins said.

Situated between Dunnavant Valley Road and Shelby County 43, Double Oak Park will span 750 acres and include multiple trails that connect to each other.

“Double Oak Park should have approximately 15 miles of trails total between the existing and newly constructed within the first year,” Scroggins said.

Certain places in the park will provide visitors with views reaching as far as Wilsonville and Sylacauga, according to Scroggins.

The initial entrance will be located on Shelby County 43; however, the county is also working on potential avenues to connect to Shelby County 41 as well.

Double Oak Park will back up to the Chelsea area, he said.

“It’s an offering that will help those who come in for tourism,” Scroggins said. “There are offerings for a lot of our residents.”

Along with the new parks, the county’s Fiscal Year 2021 projects also include the following: Abbey Wooley Park restrooms, Alabaster Veterans Park fields, Joe Tucker Park restrooms, a new pickleball court at Heardmont park, a cross country course around Chelsea’s ballfields at the Shelby County 11 sports complex, Vincent’s walking trail and Inverness’s greenway and sidewalks.