THE DR. ROBERT SHURNEY LEGACY CENTER GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING

Story and photos by Greg Miley, SON staff writer and photographer

RIBBON CUTTING – – The City of Huntsville debuted its latest public amenity on Sparkman Drive to benefit residents living in North Huntsville. Mayor Tommy Battle and District 1 Council Member Devyn Keith hosted a ribbon-cutting on April 7 to open the Dr. Robert Shurney Legacy Center, an eleven-acre campus featuring the new North Huntsville Library and recreation facilities. The $11 million project was funded by the City of Huntsville and donations from private and government partners.

A grand opening and rib[1]bon cutting ceremony was held on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at 1:00 p.m., for the Dr. Robert Shurney Legacy Center. The elevenacre, $11 million complex, is located at 3011 Sparkman Drive, near the intersection of Sparkman Drive and Pulaski Pike in north Huntsville. The new center is the former home of Berachah Academy. Participating in the ceremony was Mr. Tommy Battle, Mayor of the city of Huntsville, Mr. Devyn Keith, Councilman from Huntsville District 1, Mr. Darrell Shurney, son of the late Dr. Shurney, Mrs. Kim Lewis, Chairperson of the North Huntsville Library Capital Campaign, Mr. Dave Hargrove, Board Chairperson of Redstone

Federal Credit Union and Pastor Carlton Byrd, Senior Pastor of the Oakwood University Seventh Day Adventist Church. In attendance were members of Dr. Shurney’s family, Huntsville city and Madison county elected officials, contributors, including the city of Huntsville, private and government donors, and well-wishers.

The eleven-acre complex is home to the new 19,000 square-foot, state of the art, North Huntsville Library, which is part of the Huntsville-Madison County Library, the Huntsville Park and Recreation Department pickleball courts, walking trails, muti-purpose fields, children’s play areas with pavilions and a gymnasium. The library hours are 9:00 am6:00 pm, Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Friday and Saturday, and closed on Sunday.

The complex is named in honor of the late Dr. Robert Shurney, a NASA engineer here in Huntsville, who was a key player in NASA’s Mercury and Apollo programs and the landing of men on the moon. Dr. Shurney was one of the early African American engineers at NASA. He passed in 2007 but his trailblazing influence will continue for years to come. Plan now to make the Shurney Legacy Center a destination very soon, you will not be disappointed.