The Fairhope Fitness Court project is one step closer with the completion of the foundation next to the Mike Ford Tennis Center.

The concrete pad for the Fairhope Fitness Court has been poured. Once complete, residents will have easy access to the fitness court along the …

While the procurement of the fitness court has not caused any issues, its location did stir up conversation.

The Fitness Court System procurement was approved by Fairhope City Council in September 2023. The funding for the project comes from grants totaling $120,000 from Fairhope Single Tax Corporation, Fairhope Rotary Club and Blue Cross Blue Shield grants. The city will fund additional costs not to exceed $100,000.

The original plan was to install the fitness court on the west end of the Mike Ford Tennis Center, but Councilman Jack Burrell asked council to reconsider the location. At that time, Burrell said he had been approached by someone willing to help purchase the old café property at the Fairhope Pier.

The city of Fairhope purchased the old cafe building at the Fairhope Pier Park area. It was set to be the location of the fitness court until the …

During the Fairhope State of the City Expo in late January, Mayor Sherry Sullivan announced the city had acquired a 0.09-acre parcel of land in the Fairhope Pier Park area and said the building would be cleared and the fitness court installed.

Sullivan said the recreation board and city council agreed a fitness court would see more pedestrian traffic and use at the pier than the tennis center.

Residents and the wives of city council members did not agree with the council on the best location for the fitness court.

During an April 8 city council work session, the fitness court location came up for discussion. Council President Corey Martin said the original resolution wording was amended to say, "Mike Ford Tennis Center or another location," back in September 2023.

Martin also said he has no problem with the fitness court being placed at the Mike Ford Tennis Center.

"As long as we have a fitness court, I am happy with that. Where we put it is a fight for another day," Martin said. "The Mike Ford Tennis Center is a good place for it; it fits. Both fit, but if the community wants it there (at the Mike Ford Tennis Center), that is not a sword I need to fall on."

Councilman Jay Robinson said, "After seeing what this looks like constructed, I think it is absolutely the wrong place to put it down by the pier."

Anyone interested in seeing what the finished fitness court will look like and its functions can visit an identical court between the main concession stand and dog park at Al Trione Sports Complex in Daphne.

Burrell, who first mentioned the idea of placing it at the Fairhope Pier Park location, said he agrees with Robinson on how the court looks. But all the council members seemed to agree that the fitness court would see more use at the pier due to sheer foot traffic.

"I believe there have been some misconceptions about what it (fitness court) is. Some people won't like it because they want a natural area, and I get that. There is no equipment, so to speak; it is all handles and bars and things like that," Burell said. "I also think there is some misconception that it doesn't go there what could potentially go down there, food trucks, ice cream, and I don't think that is going to happen. It is not a this rather than that for me.

"I think it would get 10 times the use, but like Council President Martin said, if we have had this much pushback, I am going to listen to the people."