“We have conducted tours for all the partners of our Project Safe Neighborhoods program,” said Bay Minette Police Chief via email. “Included in that is Teen Challenge, Baldwin County Community Alliance, and other members.”

As previously reported, Project Safe Neighborhood discussed at its August meeting the possibility of acquiring Douglasville High School’s gymnasium and its adjacent classrooms of the now closed school from the Baldwin County Public School System, which currently uses the space for storage. The group agreed to do so after touring the facility.

Rowland explained that tours were not limited to those present at the meeting.

“Recently we toured with a local men's group, Men of the Coalition, who are interested in implementing a variety of youth programs, and Habitat for Humanity, who is interested in bringing their program to north Baldwin county,” the police chief said. “All in all, we've had probably 10-15 groups and governmental agencies tour the facility. These same groups, who are all partnered with Project Safe Neighborhoods, are interested in the community center concept for Douglasville High School.”

When leading a tour of the facility that houses the gym and approximately six classrooms, Bay Minette Police Lt. Ruffin Crook pointed out that it’s currently a meeting place for Volunteer of America’s tutoring propgram. Given its usable state, not much improvement would be needed to make it a community center.

“Just a little sprucing up for what it’d be used for,” he said.

As previously reported, PSN’s next step is to get permission from the city to approach the school system about the proposal.