Point Mallard Park
| Point Mallard Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Public Park |
| Nearest city | Decatur, Alabama |
| Coordinates | 34°34′25″N 86°56′17″W / 34.5735°N 86.938°WCoordinates: 34°34′25″N 86°56′17″W / 34.5735°N 86.938°W |
| Area | 500 acres (200 ha) |
| Created | 1970s |
| Status | Open all year |
| Website | www.pointmallardpark.com |
Point Mallard Park is a park in Decatur, Alabama, United States that sits on 500 acres (2.0 km2) of the Flint Creek shoreline. The park, which is open all year, borders the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and is operated by the City of Decatur Parks and Recreation Board.
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 Germany and thought one could be a tourist attraction in the United States. J. Austin Smith, an Ohio wave pool manufacturer, worked with the city of Decatur to design and install a wave pool in 1970. They, along with Big Surf in Tempe, Arizona, claim to have built the nation's first wave pool.
Between 130,000 to 180,000 people visit between Memorial Day and Labor Day, making it one of the state's most popular seasonal attractions. In 1987, the park was named after Mayor Blackburn.
Activities at Point Mallard Aquatic Center
- Wave Pool: 180 feet (55 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 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 Creek, (a major tributary to the Tennessee River)
- Park Amenities: Concessions, Gift Shop, Picnic Areas, Swings, and Playground.
Activities and recreation centers
- Point Mallard Golf Course
- 200 acres (0.81 km2)
- 18 holes
- driving range
- clubhouse
- restrooms and showers
- lounge and patio
- concessions
- Point Mallard Campgrounds
- 210 campsites
- 115 with sewer hookups
- 25 acres (100,000 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 courts
- 2 indoor hard courts in bubble dome
- backboard area
- Spirit of America Soccer Park
- Ronald Reagan Field
- T.C. Almond Recreation Center
- basketball
- table tennis
- racquetball
- weight room
- Bill J. Dukes Athletic Complex
- batting cages
- driving range
- baseball and softball fields
- hiking, jogging, and biking trails
- Spirit of America Stage
Celebrations/festivals
- Alabama Jubilee: Memorial Day Weekend May 28-30th.
- The Spirit of America Festival: July 3-4th.
- The September Civil War Re-enactment/Skirmish: Sept. 4th-5th.