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By EMILY REED | Special to the Reporter

ALABASTER – Members of the Alabaster City Council finalized the purchase of property the city is buying from the Board of Education for a new city multi-use facility at its most recent meeting on Monday, Sept. 12.

A public hearing was held at the meeting to officially close on the property purchase for the city’s new recreational center, retail development, park and green space.

City Public Information Officer Neal Wagner said the Council’s vote to close on the property is an exciting step for the project.

Through the city’s agreement with Alabaster City Schools, the school system has two years from Sept. 12 to vacate the property and move into the new Central Office location they are building near Thompson High School.

The property, on the corner of Highway 119 and Thompson Road, houses the old Sixth Grade Center, Intermediate School and Larry Simmons Stadium.

The vote made on Sept. 12 authorizes the funding for the property for a total purchase price of $8 million with a funding warrant for $7 million.

The Alabaster Parks and Recreation Department has already started using Larry Simmons Stadium for youth football games, and the city will continue to use the facility more heavily in the future.

Once the Central Office has been relocated, the city will work to make upgrades on the property including the construction of a new recreation center, selling a portion of the property to a developer for future retail space, adding paved parking and green space, city sports and the construction of a new library.