Point Mallard Park
Encyclopedia
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
. It sits on 500 acres (2 km²) of the Flint Creek
Flint Creek
Flint Creek is a major tributary along the Tennessee River that flows from its headwaters in northern Cullman County to Wheeler Lake in Morgan County, Alabama in Decatur...
shoreline. The park also borders the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge is a 35,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge located along the Tennessee River near Decatur, Alabama...
and is operated by the Decatur Parks and Recreation
Decatur Parks and Recreation
Decatur Parks and Recreation is a recreation department in the city of Decatur, Alabama. The board is operated by members appointed by the city council for five year terms...
Board. The park is open 365 days a year, and is owned and operated by the City of Decatur
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
.
Point Mallard Aquatic Center
Point Mallard Park's J. Gilmer Blackburn Aquatic Center was developed in the early 1970s after Mayor Gilmer Blackburn saw enclosed "wave-making" swimming pools in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and thought one could be a tourist attraction in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. J. Austin Smith, an Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Wave Pool manufacturer, worked with the city of Decatur to design and install the nation's first wave pool
Wave pool
A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, reasonably large waves, similar to the ocean's. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks...
in 1970.
Between 130,000 to 180,000 people visit between Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
and Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
, making it one of the state's most popular seasonal attractions. In 1987 the park was named after Mayor Blackburn.
On May 30, 2011, the park was shut down early due to an altercation between visitors. The local media also reported concerns that the park was dangerously overcrowded on this day.
Activities at Point Mallard Aquatic Center
- Wave Pool: America's First Wave Pool,180 feet (54.9 m) of Continuous Wave Action
- Diving Pool: 2-diving boards and a 3-tier 10 meter diving platform
- Three Flume Slide: Three Long Tubes Shoot you down
- Sky Pond: Point Mallards Biggest Slide with A Two Person Float
- Pro-Bowl: Newest Slide That Shoots and Spins you in a bowl
- Sky Pond: inner-tube plunge off 40 ft (12.2 m) tower
- Duck Pond: a water play area for younger children
- Olympic Pool: A Huge "T" shape swimming area
- Squirt Factory: kid's activity area
- Sand Beach: along the Flint CreekFlint CreekFlint Creek is a major tributary along the Tennessee River that flows from its headwaters in northern Cullman County to Wheeler Lake in Morgan County, Alabama in Decatur...
, (a major tributary to the Tennessee RiverTennessee RiverThe Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
) - Park Amenities: Concessions, Gift Shop, Picnic Areas, Swings, and Playground.
Activities and recreation centers
- Point Mallard Golf Course
- 200 acre (0.809372 km²)
- 18 holes
- driving range
- clubhouse
- restrooms and showers
- lounge and patio
- concessions
- Point Mallard Campgrounds
- 210 campsites
- 115 with sewer hookups
- 25 acres (101,171.5 m²)
- laundry facilities
- 3 pavilions with showers and restrooms
- Point Mallard Ice Complex
- Jimmy Johns Tennis Center
- 12 championship tennis hard courts
- 4 championship tennis clay courtClay courtA clay court is one of the four different types of tennis court. Clay courts are made of crushed shale, stone or brick. The red clay is slower than the green, or Har-Tru "American" clay. The French Open uses clay courts, making it unique among the Grand Slam tournaments.Clay courts are more common...
s - 2 indoor hard courts in bubble domeAir-supported structureAn air-supported structure is any building that derives its structural integrity from the use of internal pressurized air to inflate a pliable material envelope, so that air is the main support of the structure, and where access is via airlocks.The concept was popularized on a large scale by...
- backboard area
- Spirit of America Soccer Park
- Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Field
- Ronald Reagan
- T.C. Almond Recreation Center
- basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- table tennisTable tennisTable tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
- racquetballRacquetballFor other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
- weight room
- basketball
- Bill J. Dukes Athletic Complex
- batting cageBatting cageA batting cage is an enclosed cage for baseball players to practice the skill of batting.It is usually made of netting or a chain-link fence and rectangular in shape. A batter stands at one end of the cage, with a pitching machine at the opposing end...
s - driving rangeDriving rangeA driving range is an area where golfers can practice their swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range attached and they are also found as stand-alone facilities, especially...
- baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and softballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
fields
- batting cage
- hiking, jogging, and biking trails
- Spirit of America Stage
Celebrations/festivals
- Alabama JubileeAlabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon ClassicThe Alabama Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon Classic is held annually on Memorial Day weekend in Decatur, Alabama. Each year the Jubilee hosts about 60 local and national hot-air balloons at Point Mallard Park....
: Memorial DayMemorial DayMemorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
Weekend May 28-30th. - The Spirit of America FestivalSpirit of America FestivalThe Spirit of America Festival is one of the largest free Fourth of July celebrations in the Southern United States. The two day outdoor festival, set at Point Mallard Park in Decatur, Alabama, hosts a variety of traditional summer activities...
: July 3-4th. - The September Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Re-enactment/Skirmish: Sept. 4th-5th.