In visiting with Dr. Bookhout, I mentioned that I’d been told by influential Troy boosters that at least some Troy leaders had discussed the University acquiring the National Guard Armory on George Wallace Avenue across from Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The idea/vision is that this space could be used to develop a conference center/hotel similar to what’s popular at The University of Alabama and Auburn University.
Dr. Bookhout confirmed this idea has been broached before.
Never shy about throwing out ideas, I also mentioned the possibility Troy City Schools could one day build a new high school somewhere else.
If this ever happened, it would make obvious sense for Troy University to acquire the (sizeable) grounds of the current campus. I have no doubt Troy University could landscape this area in a way that would impress everyone.
If one really wants to “think big,” I guess it’s still theoretically possible that the “Walnut Creek Lake” project/vision could still become a reality.
If memory serves, this lake, which almost became a reality in the late 1980s, was going to be approximately 2,000 acres. It would have spanned from Highway 231 south of Troy back around and behind the CHHS campus (ending across the street from the pond next to the old Nelson’s by the Lake popular restaurant off Elm Street.) In other words, such a lake would now almost seem like a part of the Troy University campus.
If this project happened, Troy would boast … a major college (which IS “Alabama’s Most Beautiful”), a major highway, and a scenic recreational lake.
These projects would add to the exciting revitalization of the Downtown Square Area and would make Troy and Pike County a more attractive place to live. As I’ll document in future articles, increasing numbers of residents across the United States are re-locating to cheaper and smaller communities for myriad reasons.
Troy and Pike County are well-positioned to get their fair share of American citizens who are “voting with their feet” and looking for the “quality of life” that a scenic, small college town offers.
At my Facebook Page, several of my friends posted comments about this project, stating they have fond memories of taking sailing classes from Don Jeffrey in the Lagoon. (I think CHMS P.E. students might have also once taken sailing - or canoeing - classes in the Lagoon).
Dr. Jeffrey, now retired, told Dr. Bookhout that the Lagoon was once larger than it's been in the past decade or so.
This information might be wrong, but I've also always heard that, tragically, one person once drowned in the Lagoon. Maybe someone can confirm if this is true and provide more of these sad details.
... My hope is that readers use the Reader Comment Section of the Troy Citizen to add interesting information about these articles - Bill.
And more archived germane "bonus content" from Troy University's Office of Public Affairs:
"Troy University moved to its current location in the 1920s. The 1930 Olmsted Brothers master plan for the Troy State Teachers College campus identifies both McKinley Avenue and the president’s home. As the campus has grown to more than 10,000 students, the need for multiple north-south pedestrian routes across campus is more pressing.
"The campus master plan will develop Janice Hawkins Park (JHP) as a buffer to the city of Troy. JHP is a series of ravines filled with large oaks, tulip poplars, pines, red maples and wetlands, which are a habitat for birds and home to other diverse wildlife.
"Phase one construction established a well-lighted pedestrian route between the new 600- resident complex, and the campus’ academic core and dining hall. One measure of the park’s success is demonstrated by the students who have chosen it as the location to propose marriage.
"Phase two construction activities included invasive species removal and stream
restoration within the 20-acre park. An informal amphitheater is under design, continuing improvements to the park."
BONUS CONTENT: I found this archived story form Troy University's Office of Public Affairs that has more good background on the history of the Lagoon Project, which was actually conceived when Chancellor and Mrs. Hawkins made the decision to build a new campus amphitheater across from the President's Mansion (after the little amphitheater behind the Adams Center had to be removed for drainage reasons associated with the project to add-on to then Bibb Graves Hall). That project led to the Terra Cotta Warrior Project:
Excerpt:
A recently awarded $500,000 grant from the Daniel Foundation will help fund Troy University’s construction of a park that will serve as a cultural arts centerpiece for the community.
Located between the Troy University Chancellor’s home and McKinley Drive, the Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park will be a botanical showplace as well as a center of relaxation, meditation and outdoor study for the University family and visitors to the Troy Campus.
“It will be a cultural crossroads,” said Janice Hawkins, First Lady of Troy University, “A place where east meets west.”
TROY Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. said the vision for the park began several years ago at an afternoon concert in the Gerald Ford Amphitheater in Vail, Colorado.
“As we sat there listening to that beautiful music, it occurred to us that we could have something like this,” he said. “We began looking at the little amphitheater we had on campus, and then we began looking at the kudzu ravine down below. We realized that, if we take it and build it one step at a time, maybe one day we can have something that will serve well all of this community.”
The park will include a significant amount of greenspace and walking trails in the wooded areas surrounding it as well as a lagoon.
Among the featured attractions of the park will be 200 life-sized Chinese Terra Cotta Warrior statues from Shaanxi, China.
The statues are the work of renowned Chinese sculptor Dr. Hu Bao Zhu, who has agreed to personally donate 100 of the Warriors, plus 10 additional statues for the park.
The Terra Cotta Army is a collection of ancient terra cotta sculptures, unearthed in 1974, depicting the armies of China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
I am so excited about walking around the campus after this is complete! Lots of updates are always happening around here..
Can't wait to see the finished product. Nice article Bill.
Thanks, Jeffrey. The University of Alabama doesn't have any places on its campus like this!
In visiting with Dr. Bookhout, I mentioned that I’d been told by influential Troy boosters that at least some Troy leaders had discussed the University acquiring the National Guard Armory on George Wallace Avenue across from Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The idea/vision is that this space could be used to develop a conference center/hotel similar to what’s popular at The University of Alabama and Auburn University.
Dr. Bookhout confirmed this idea has been broached before.
Never shy about throwing out ideas, I also mentioned the possibility Troy City Schools could one day build a new high school somewhere else.
If this ever happened, it would make obvious sense for Troy University to acquire the (sizeable) grounds of the current campus. I have no doubt Troy University could landscape this area in a way that would impress everyone.
If one really wants to “think big,” I guess it’s still theoretically possible that the “Walnut Creek Lake” project/vision could still become a reality.
If memory serves, this lake, which almost became a reality in the late 1980s, was going to be approximately 2,000 acres. It would have spanned from Highway 231 south of Troy back around and behind the CHHS campus (ending across the street from the pond next to the old Nelson’s by the Lake popular restaurant off Elm Street.) In other words, such a lake would now almost seem like a part of the Troy University campus.
If this project happened, Troy would boast … a major college (which IS “Alabama’s Most Beautiful”), a major highway, and a scenic recreational lake.
These projects would add to the exciting revitalization of the Downtown Square Area and would make Troy and Pike County a more attractive place to live. As I’ll document in future articles, increasing numbers of residents across the United States are re-locating to cheaper and smaller communities for myriad reasons.
Troy and Pike County are well-positioned to get their fair share of American citizens who are “voting with their feet” and looking for the “quality of life” that a scenic, small college town offers.
- Bill Rice, Jr.
At my Facebook Page, several of my friends posted comments about this project, stating they have fond memories of taking sailing classes from Don Jeffrey in the Lagoon. (I think CHMS P.E. students might have also once taken sailing - or canoeing - classes in the Lagoon).
Dr. Jeffrey, now retired, told Dr. Bookhout that the Lagoon was once larger than it's been in the past decade or so.
This information might be wrong, but I've also always heard that, tragically, one person once drowned in the Lagoon. Maybe someone can confirm if this is true and provide more of these sad details.
... My hope is that readers use the Reader Comment Section of the Troy Citizen to add interesting information about these articles - Bill.
And more archived germane "bonus content" from Troy University's Office of Public Affairs:
"Troy University moved to its current location in the 1920s. The 1930 Olmsted Brothers master plan for the Troy State Teachers College campus identifies both McKinley Avenue and the president’s home. As the campus has grown to more than 10,000 students, the need for multiple north-south pedestrian routes across campus is more pressing.
"The campus master plan will develop Janice Hawkins Park (JHP) as a buffer to the city of Troy. JHP is a series of ravines filled with large oaks, tulip poplars, pines, red maples and wetlands, which are a habitat for birds and home to other diverse wildlife.
"Phase one construction established a well-lighted pedestrian route between the new 600- resident complex, and the campus’ academic core and dining hall. One measure of the park’s success is demonstrated by the students who have chosen it as the location to propose marriage.
"Phase two construction activities included invasive species removal and stream
restoration within the 20-acre park. An informal amphitheater is under design, continuing improvements to the park."
BONUS CONTENT: I found this archived story form Troy University's Office of Public Affairs that has more good background on the history of the Lagoon Project, which was actually conceived when Chancellor and Mrs. Hawkins made the decision to build a new campus amphitheater across from the President's Mansion (after the little amphitheater behind the Adams Center had to be removed for drainage reasons associated with the project to add-on to then Bibb Graves Hall). That project led to the Terra Cotta Warrior Project:
Excerpt:
A recently awarded $500,000 grant from the Daniel Foundation will help fund Troy University’s construction of a park that will serve as a cultural arts centerpiece for the community.
Located between the Troy University Chancellor’s home and McKinley Drive, the Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park will be a botanical showplace as well as a center of relaxation, meditation and outdoor study for the University family and visitors to the Troy Campus.
“It will be a cultural crossroads,” said Janice Hawkins, First Lady of Troy University, “A place where east meets west.”
TROY Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. said the vision for the park began several years ago at an afternoon concert in the Gerald Ford Amphitheater in Vail, Colorado.
“As we sat there listening to that beautiful music, it occurred to us that we could have something like this,” he said. “We began looking at the little amphitheater we had on campus, and then we began looking at the kudzu ravine down below. We realized that, if we take it and build it one step at a time, maybe one day we can have something that will serve well all of this community.”
The park will include a significant amount of greenspace and walking trails in the wooded areas surrounding it as well as a lagoon.
Among the featured attractions of the park will be 200 life-sized Chinese Terra Cotta Warrior statues from Shaanxi, China.
The statues are the work of renowned Chinese sculptor Dr. Hu Bao Zhu, who has agreed to personally donate 100 of the Warriors, plus 10 additional statues for the park.
The Terra Cotta Army is a collection of ancient terra cotta sculptures, unearthed in 1974, depicting the armies of China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang.