By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

For Evangel Classical Christian School and Evangel Christian School students, parents and faculty members, standing in the former Bases Loaded training facility on July 30 was like being home.

“There’s no place like home,” said ECS Administrator Bill Snuggs. “We won’t have to dress out in parking lots anymore, and there won’t be any last-minute calls announcing where games will be.

“Thank God we can call this home,” Snuggs added.

Hundreds of students, teachers and parents from both of the Alabaster-based schools packed the former Bases Loaded training facility off Alabama 119 in Montevallo to celebrate the dedication of the 16-acre property.

The property, which includes three lighted playing fields and a 20,000-square-foot building, was donated to the schools by the Evangel Schools Foundation last month.

ECS Athletic Director Howard O’Neal said the schools’ athletic teams have used several venues over the past several years, including Pelham High School, the former Shelby Academy site and many more.

“There’s been so many times that it’s come down to ‘Where are we going to play tonight?'” O’Neal said during the dedication ceremony. “We will have something here for every sport we have.”

Once work on the property is completed, it will house separate football, baseball and softball fields, and will offer space for indoor sports such as volleyball and cheerleading. The Evangel volleyball team is set to play its first match at the facility in early August.

During the dedication ceremony, much of the facility was filled with items donated for the schools’ fundraiser yard sale, which will begin at the facility at 7 a.m. on Aug. 4.

Those interested in donating items for the yard sale can do so at the facility from 5-7 p.m. each day this week. All proceeds generated during the yard sale will help fund renovation work on the property.

“We are so proud to have you as part of Montevallo,” said Montevallo Mayor Ben McCrory. “We hope this is the first of many events where we can get together and pull for Evangel.”

“The Lord has given you a home, this is your home” Evangel Presbyterian Church Senior Pastor Dr. Jeff Lowman told the crowd.