2015 was prosperous year for Hoover, Mayor Gary Ivey says
The year 2015 has been kind to Hoover, and 2016 promises lots of good things as well, Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said today in his state-of-the-city address to the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce.
Ivey gave the speech at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel to nearly 200 people attending the chamber’s monthly luncheon.
He said the city is financially strong, with a record $148 million budget for 2016 and good credit rating.
Several important road projects were completed in 2015, including the widening of U.S. 31 between Interstate 459 and Data Drive, and improvements at the intersection of Interstate 459 and John Hawkins Parkway.
The mayor also noted numerous events that have been held at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium this year, including home games for the University of Alabama baseball team, SEC Baseball Tournament, National Pro Fastpitch Championship Series, Hot Rod Power Tour, Freedom Fest music festival and Pig Iron BBQ Challenge.
Other city events also drew big crowds, including the annual Celebrate Hoover Day and Hoover Hayride and Family Night at Veterans Park and the Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center, the mayor said.
“All this just adds to the quality of life we experience by having the opportunity to live in this great city,” Ivey said.
A huge event coming up in 2016 is the return of the Regions Tradition golf tournament to Hoover at the Greystone Golf and Country Club, Ivey said. It will be held May 18-22, moving from Shoal Creek. “We’re looking forward to that being back,” Ivey said.
Veterans Park off Valleydale Road is always covered up with lots of cross country runs and weekend races, and 2016 will be no exception, he said. Particularly of note is the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympics Cross Country Championships, to be held Dec. 10.
The new Jefferson County satellite revenue office opened in the Hoover Court Town Center in November, and if all goes as planned, should start providing driver’s license renewals by March, Ivey said. He thanked Jefferson County officials for their cooperation in getting that facility open in a place that is convenient to so many people who live, work or visit in Hoover.
Ivey also said city officials are proud to be home to the state’s two first freestanding emergency departments – one opened by UAB’s Medical West hospital at the intersection of Interstate 459 and John Hawkins Parkway in May and the other opened by Brookwood Medical Center near the intersection of U.S. 280 and Alabama 119 at the end of November.
“These folks have invested lots of money in our city,” Ivey said. “It’s truly going to save lives. If you get caught in (U.S.) 280 or (Alabama) 150 traffic in a trauma or in a wreck, or a heart attack or one of the many things are Fire Department responds to, it’s pretty hard to get you to a hospital.”
These two facilities both have fully-equipped trauma rooms that can take care of people’s emergencies quickly, Ivey said.
Also on the business front, the new Field & Stream store opened in the Patton Creek shopping center in August, and Whole Foods expects to be in the former Belle Foods location in Riverchase Village by mid-summer to fall, Ivey said.
“Everywhere we look, people are wanting to come into the city,” Ivey said.
The mayor also thanked the Hoover police and fire departments for their service to the residents of Hoover and others who work and visit the city.
Emergency dispatchers handled 190,963 calls this year through Dec. 14, Ivey said. But beyond the everyday service, Hoover’s public safety workers show a lot of generosity, he said.
The Police Department recently raised more than $25,000 for families of critically ill children with their No Shave November fundraiser, and the Hoover Fire Department collected more than 400 toys for children of active military service members, Ivey said.
It’s those kinds of things people don’t often hear about, he said.
Ivey said he really enjoys being able to serve as mayor of Hoover. “It’s a great place to work, live and raise a family.”