City News

Updates to the McDonald Hughes Community Center are underway as the city looks to provide more amenities for children and young adults. Improvements include the construction of a canopy to allow people to exit vehicles safely during rain, flooring for the gymnasium and an indoor playground. These amenities are among the immediate concerns discussed by community members who regularly attend programs at the center.

"Participants who attend weekly exercise classes are thrilled to have a safeguard from inclement weather as they enter and exit the Hughes Center," District Two Councilor Raevan Howard says. "And the playground unit, with its bright colors, will be a pulse for children attending the center. When the project is finished, those who attend the center will hopefully find their visit more comfortable and pleasurable."

Updates to the facility are among the many projects being funded by Elevate Tuscaloosa. The work, budgeted at $1.5 million, also includes a number of immediate needs for the facility including restroom upgrades. In the future, the community can look forward to improvements to parks, resolutions to drainage problems that have been identified, and increased lighting that will provide more safety for our residents.

“When taking office in 2005, I pledged to reverse the decades of neglect in West Tuscaloosa. Together, we have made significant progress and Elevate Tuscaloosa provides the tools to accomplish even more,” said Tuscaloosa Mayor, Walt Maddox. “The enhancements to the McDonald Hughes Center will further connect and engage with the communities it serves. And, it's only the beginning for the center and West Tuscaloosa.”

Renovations are expected to be completed by Oct. 23, 2020. For more information about Elevate Tuscaloosa, visit ElevateTuscaloosa.com.