Northport’s River Run Park ball complex officially opens with Saturday ribbon cutting
Article by Stephen Dethrage of Tuscaloosa Thread
After years of planning, construction, and perseverance, Northport's premier nine-field sports complex, River Run Park, officially opened for play with a Saturday morning ribbon-cutting.
City leaders, including the entire city council, Mayor John Hinton, city administrator Glenda Webb, and city engineer Tera Tubbs were all present for the Saturday morning celebration.
The baseball and softball complex features nine tournament-ready baseball and softball fields, and later phases are expected to add restaurant and retail developments, hotel space, and more.
The voice of the Crimson Tide, Chris Stewart, was also in attendance to emcee the event and welcome guests to River Run Park.
"Today we stand before you for a truly groundbreaking occasion, and we are all together feeling immense pride and excitement as we open the River Run Park Sports Complex," Council President Christy Bobo said. "This facility is more than just fields and buildings, it's a testament to what we can accomplish when our community comes together with a shared vision."
Outgoing mayor John Hinton, who is not seeking re-election when Northport voters go to the polls in nine short days, delivered an invocation and also threw the first pitch on the tournament field.
The ceremony also featured other distinguished guests, including state Representative Ron Bolton and state Senator Gerald Allen, who both thanked the council and community for bringing this gem to Tuscaloosa County.
"A year ago, Ron Bolton and myself had lunch at Billy's and looked at these plans for the big beautiful park that this is," Allen said. "Now, I've been to Forestdale, Gardendale, Metro Atlanta, Marietta - they don't have anything like what we've got here today."
Allen called on the community to shop local and keep taxpayer dollars in Tuscaloosa County so the cities can continue to fund ambitious recreational projects like this one.