The city of Oxford hosted a public forum concerning the application for a Water Conservation Fund grant for improvements of the recreational facilities at Oxford Lake Park and Choccolocco Park at the Oxford Civic Center on Monday, September 8, 2025.

The proposed improvements for Oxford Lake Park are a new small playset for ages 5-12, a new large playset for ages 5-12, a new swing area, a new toddler area, and a new inclusive playground for children with disabilities. All the areas will have a new, high-quality rubber-based surface underneath.

Choccolocco Park’s playground would receive an updated surface like the one being proposed for the Oxford Lake Park play areas.

Parks and Recreation director Don Hudson said this would be the first significant renovation of the Oxford Lake Park play area since it was developed in 2003.

“It is simply more economical and provides a higher safety standard to completely replace them than to continually have to maintain what is now outdated equipment,” Hudson said, noting the play areas have been in constant and heavy usage since their opening.

If the city’s application is accepted, and with the final approval from the city council, it would be a 50/50 grant with the city paying 50 cents for each total dollar of the final determined available grant amount for the project.

Attendees of the forum were unanimous in their support for the project, and were given the opportunity to provide written comments that will be submitted with the grant application.

Those who did not attend and still wish to provide their comments on the proposal can submit them to Alan Atkinson, Oxford City Clerk, P.O. Box 3383, Oxford, AL, 36203, within two weeks of the public forum date.