SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The Talladega County Board of Education will be getting $1.75 million from Gov. Kay Ivey’s Public School and College Authority Bond Issue.
The money will be used to clean up the old Avondale Mills property in Sylacauga, with the goal of using about 30 acres of that property to establish the East Alabama Rural Innovation and Training Hub.
“This project and the Innovation and Training Hub is a great extension of the work that we are doing in Talladega County,” said Dr. Suzanne Lacey, Talladega County Schools Superintendent. “For 14 years now, we have put an emphasis on technology and project based learning and the opportunity to connect our students with the real world. This type of project in our community can definitely do that and extend the current programs and practices that we already have in place.”
This will be a multi-phase project that is expected to take several years to complete.
Once completed, the new workforce development hub would provide unique opportunities for job training and will host some of the existing career tech programs offered in Talladega County.
At least seven to 10 acres of the property will eventually be used to build a new athletic complex for B.B. Comer.
“The project will be the first of it’s kind in Alabama, and is a momentous project for our communities,” said State Rep. Ben Robbins. “This Hub will provide rural Alabamians the ability to develop its workforce and incubate its businesses. Not only is redeveloping this site revolutionary for the area, but the economic development opportunities are endless.”
We are just delighted to work with community partners,” said Lacey. “We know that the heart of the community in Talladega County and all of our communities throughout the county are the people and when people come together with a common goal and common vision then I think the opportunities are endless. This is a perfect example of that and how we are working together to do something really great for our current students and even individuals that are in the workforce, to better prepare and train them.”
Talladega County Schools is the only K-12 system to benefit from the bond issue.
