City of Huntsville celebrates opening of dynamic Sandra Moon Community Complex
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The transformation of a former high school campus into an attractive asset for Huntsville residents came to fruition with the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of the Sandra Moon Community Complex, a destination for recreation, events and enjoyment of the arts.
Mayor Tommy Battle, Council President Jennie Robinson, City of Huntsville leaders and members of the Moon family were among those participating in the festivities marking the completion of the four-phase project.
“It’s a great day for the city of Huntsville,” Mayor Battle said. “We are thrilled to open the Sandra Moon Community Complex for everyone to see and enjoy. As you walk around this campus and see everything that has come together here, you will understand just how special this place is.”
The complex is named for Sandra Moon, who served on the Huntsville City Council from 1998 to 2010 and became the first female Council president. After she left the Council, she chaired a committee formulating plans for how the former Grissom High campus could be utilized for the community.
Moon passed away in 2013. Members of her family attended the grand opening celebration. The City Council in 2017 named the future complex in Moon’s honor.
“Sandra was known for her ability to connect with people and work with people,” said Council President Jennie Robinson, who has described Moon as a mentor. “She was just always so delightful and even-keeled and people loved working with her. I think this facility goes back to her legacy in that it was created out of this wonderful community conversation to meet community needs.”
The Complex – which previously opened the South Huntsville Public Library along with a children’s playground and outdoor recreational facilities – now includes an event hall that can accommodate more than 200 people for seated activities, refurbished gymnasiums, adaptive activities spaces for special needs residents of all ages and a multimedia center.
It also provides a home for Arts Huntsville with office and rehearsal space along with the renovated 600-seat auditorium. Arts Huntsville will hold a ribbon cutting for the auditorium on Sept. 25.
The building has restored and refreshed both the main gymnasium as well as the auxiliary gym that were part of the former Grissom High School, creating spaces for basketball, volleyball and pickleball as well as an expanded fitness area and indoor walking track.
“There is so much here for everyone to enjoy but there are two areas I am particularly excited about,” Parks & Recreation Director James Gossett said. “The new adaptive recreation spaces provides an area to meet the needs of our special populations and it’s something unlike anything else in a City facility. It will allow us to expand programming and truly make this a place for everyone.
“Also, our new multimedia center gives teens and adults a place to enjoy gaming, technology and creative activities. We have gaming stations, recording stations and other resources that allow us to offer an entirely different kind of programming.”