By Lee Weyhrich
The Pinson City Council on Tuesday closed on the Old Rock School property, previously owned by Solid Rock Church. The council will discuss upgrades and repairs that need to be made to the property at a future date.
The city council will also be purchasing another historical property. The Home Town Bank of Alabama, owners of the old railroad hotel on Spring Street, have offered the property to the city for $10,000. Through the years, the building has been a hotel, quadruplex and most recently a law office, Mayor Hoyt Sanders said.
The land is adjacent to the city’s proposed “pocket park” in downtown Pinson.
No plans for the property have been made yet, but Councilman Robbie Roberts hopes a good idea will “come along” from the community.
Pinson also annexed five new properties. These include two homes on Willow Ridge, two on Osage Lane and 15 acres of land on Innsbrooke Parkway belonging to Carl Callahan, president of CALCO Builders and Callahan Construction.
Pinson Valley softball is still seeking help with a construction project of its own. The softball team is in need of new dugouts. Dugouts were begun earlier this year, but Jefferson County forced construction to stop and imposed stricter codes on the dugouts’ construction. The new dugouts will cost an estimated $15,000, Councilman Joe Cochran said.
The council voted to donate $5,000 from the discretionary fund to help pay a share of the construction cost. It is hoped that other money will be provided by the Jefferson County Board of Education, as well as other fundraising.