Huntsville, Alabama
A statue of Dr. Councill, commissioned by the City of Huntsville, now proudly welcomes alumni and visitors to the William Hooper Councill School Park on St. Clair Avenue in downtown Huntsville. The park opened in Fall 2019 as a tribute and memorial to the hundreds of African American students who studied there during the era of segregation.
Serving as the “central park” for the City of Huntsville, John Hunt’s former municipal golf course was reimagined into a world-class cross country running course. Bostick Landscape Architects was the lead consultant for the project creating the layout of a 2 mile, 5k, 8k, and 10k course that would allow both high school and collegiate cross-country races to be held.
The course is 10 meters wide to meet NCAA requirements and it weaves throughout existing stands of trees, and ponds to take advantage of topography providing a varied but fast running opportunity. Several races have already hosted several large statewide high school meets as well as the 2020 Gulf South Conference championship. The course is now known as the fastest course in the U.S. with the High School female national record being set with a sub 16-minute performance in November 2020 and 32 boys breaking the 15-minute mark. The most to do that previously at any race in the last 10 years was 15. As a part of the design of the site, a 2.1 mile walking/running trail for the citizens of Huntsville made from recycled tires and 70% permeable to minimize any additional runoff was designed into the park.