By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The about 150 students who will park in Thompson High School’s “gravel pit” parking lot for the upcoming school year may have to find a new name for the area.

“One of the first things I noticed when I arrived in Alabaster, students call it the gravel pit,” Alabaster School Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers said during an Aug. 7 Alabaster School Board meeting.

The lot is across Warrior Drive from the THS main entrance, and will receive a new look thanks to an agreement between Alabaster City Schools and Shelby County. During its Aug. 7 meeting, the Alabaster School Board approved a memorandum of agreement with the county to help fund the project.

Through the agreement, Alabaster Schools will provide $50,000 to help grade and pave the parking area. County crews have already begun the grading process, Vickers said.

“Having that additional parking for our students will be a good thing,” Vickers said. “(County Manager) Alex Dudchock has done a great job to help us accomplish this goal.”

Paving the parking area is part of a county plan to extend the Buck Creek Trail from its current terminus at the Alabaster Parks and Recreation office to the Alabaster YMCA.

Alabaster School Board members praised the project, and the county’s willingness to partner with Alabaster City Schools.

“It is very good,” said Alabaster School Board Member Dr. John Myrick. “I always believe the school system should be a part of the community.”

“I would also like to thank Alex and the county,” said School Board President Adam Moseley. “We had a need and they stepped up.”