Foley, Ala. — (OBA) — Foley officials outlined the next shuffle in city facilities as a new Public Works campus nears completion. The move will set up long-term homes for the Parks and Recreation and Horticulture departments. Leaders say the plan answers space needs without quick fixes. It also positions future community amenities near downtown.

The Foley City Council voted Monday, Sept. 15, to fund renovations at the current Public Works site on East Violet Avenue. The new Public Works campus is scheduled for completion in January. Those dates guide the timeline for relocating staff and equipment.

David Thompson, executive director for leisure services, said the move appears to set the two departments up for the long haul. “As Public Works moves to their new campus, we're going to have an opportunity to move our Parks Department and Horticulture Department into that building,” he said.

Work at East Violet Avenue includes building a 2,500 to 3,000 square foot office. Crews will also remove fuel tanks previously used by Public Works and the Sanitation Department. City staff said the goal is a safe, modern space sized for daily operations.

Thompson added that the plan is meant to last. “We plan to do as much renovation as we can to get both of those groups into a comfortable spot, and this would put them in place for the next 20 years,” he said. He called it a strategic answer.

The parks division will settle at East Violet Avenue, a site Public Works has used since the 1990s. The recreation division is moving into the former National Guard armory behind City Hall, which is now under renovation. These shifts keep teams close to core services.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the change opens room to grow near the Wilbourne Antique Rose Trail north of Heritage Park. That trail is a popular walking route lined with antique roses, and Heritage Park is a central gathering spot downtown.

“Parks and horticulture will move over there,” Hellmich said. “Sometime next year, there will be new greenhouses and other facilities over there, which will support Beautification Committee efforts. After moving parks to its new home, we can then rephrase their current site.”

City leaders also said Foley is working to acquire nearby property for possible future needs. Ideas on the table include a new civic center and a museum. Those concepts would likely depend on land deals and funding. Details will come as planning advances.

As the new campus opens, the city may face a brief period of overlapping moves. Staff transitions often bring hiccups, but the plan appears measured. The payoff, if it holds, would be simpler maintenance and quicker response across parks and streets.