new hotel, Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott. Smith says, “That’s a real big plus for us. We need a new hotel for all the activities that Jax State brings, plus activities with the city and the school. In other developments, Jacksonville has built a new 12,500-square-foot city hall and a new building for Jacksonville City Utilities. Along with these, Smith mentions that negotiations are underway for the city to lease property from JSU for a new fire station.“It’ll be a city of Jacksonville fire station, but on the JSU campus. That is going to be a plus not only for our citizens here but also for the students,” he maintains. RECREATION AND LIFESTYLE Jacksonville’s residents have access to a wide range of recreational activities thanks to excellent facilities including the Jacksonville Community Center, as well as proximity to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.“Our Community Center has a gym, full-service workout room, meeting rooms, walking track, and on that same campus is a pool, playground equipment, and a lighted Soccer Complex with a nine-hole disc golf course. There are a lot of things for folks to do,” touts Mayor Smith. Another gem of the community is the Chief Ladiga Trail. “That’s a hard surface trail that was designed to cater to both casual and serious walkers, joggers, bicyclists or skateboarders, those folks that want to get out and move around,” he describes. “The city owns 8.1 miles of that trail. It’s part of a 34-mile trail that connects to the Georgia Silver Comet at the Alabama-Georgia line. You can get on your bicycle in Jacksonville and ride to the suburbs of Atlanta. It’s about a 92-mile ride. That attracts a lot of people to our town too.” A VISION FOR THE FUTURE Over the past few years, Jacksonville has spent $1.8 million on street resurfacing and continues to Centennial Homes, LLC 3000 Riverchase Galleria Suite 1720 Birmingham, AL 35244 Because Your Home Is More Than Just a Building. It’s A Work of Art. Timeless Design Quality Craftsmanship (205) 965-3631 Office www.centennialhomesllc.com 220 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 07
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx