Key takeaways from the First Community Recreation Center in Decatur, Alabama
By Mark Winters
The groundbreaking of Decatur, Alabama’s new Community Recreation Center at Wilson Morgan Park marked more than the beginning of another construction project—it was the start of a new chapter of growth for the city and its residents. Decatur’s first-ever community recreation facility will encompass athletic, wellness, and event spaces under one roof next to a beautiful lakeside setting. While construction is only getting started, there are several valuable insights about what it takes to build smarter, more efficiently, and more sustainably in today’s construction landscape.
Once completed in summer, 2026, the center will be one of the area’s highest-quality recreation facilities. It will feature indoor basketball and volleyball courts, a mezzanine running track, a 10-lane swimming pool, community spaces with outdoor pavilions, food-truck-ready hardscapes, and walking trails overlooking the lake.
The design features an architecturally appealing exterior, with decorative, precast panels, metal panels, and a glass curtain wall meant to be elegant but also functional and durable.