CITY PLANS TO CELEBRATE VETERANS FOR 18TH YEAR  

On Sunday, November 6th, 2022, the City of Hoover will kick off its18th year of Thank a Vet Week. The celebration begins at 2:00 pm at the Hoover Library Theatre. The week-long events will run until November 10th.

Sunday's celebration will include recognition of this year's Freedom Award Winner, a patriotic concert from the Alabama Youth Symphony, a flag folding ceremony and a reception.

During the week, visitors can stop by the Walk of Honor located in the main hall of the Library. The Walk includes pictures and brief biographies of veterans submitted by Hoover residents.  

There also will be an exhibit dedicated to prisoners of war and those missing in action. Children will have the opportunity to participate in a craft project. Materials can be picked up in the Children's Department.

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CLIMBING CENTER REOPENS AT HOOVER MET  

You may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But, you may very well feel you can as you experience Hoover Heights. That's the new name for the Climbing Center located at the Hoover Met Complex.

On November 12th, the Center will hold a grand reopening event. That day is already completely full with bookings, but staff members hope it will be the catalyst to a robust return of climbers.

"I think anybody can come and have fun," says Anna Beth Ivey, Climbing Center Coordinator. "We have been working really hard as a team to make this the place to be and we are over the moon excited to get kids in here."

The center extends across 5,000 square feet and houses 19 colorful climbing elements including "the sky scraper", "the beanstalk", "the chimney" and "the gearhead wall". Most of the stations stand nearly 30 feet tall.

 Hoover Climbing and Adventure first opened in 2018, but less than two years later, Covid forced its doors to close. In 2021, it reopened for a short time but closed again due to staffing issues.This year, the decision was made to open again, but it still took a little time--mainly due to the equipment.

"A lot of the equipment had expired just because it had been sitting for so long. And with climbing equipment, it's really important to keep that up to date because that's your lifeline," Ivey says. 

For the last two months, her team has worked to get the equipment inspected and recertified. They've also ordered new items like harnesses and for the first time, climbing shoes.
 
"They look like little ballet slippers," Ivey explains with a smile. "They offer a lot of traction and a lot of grip so that's a little bit of added safety."

Also with the reopening comes the new name - The Hoover Heights Climbing Center. And now, instead of paying by the hour to climb, the Center offers a day pass - $15 for those 12 and under, $18 for students with an ID and $20 for those 12 and older without an ID. Monthly and yearly memberships are also available.

For more information about pricing, hours and private events, check out the Hoover Heights Climbing Center website at:
https://hoovermetcomplex.com/finley-center/adventure/
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BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES HEADED TO HOOVER 

They're known around the world wherever they go.  And now the Budweiser Clydesdales are coming to Hoover!

Birmingham beer distributor Adams Beverages is bringing the horses to lead 75th Annual National Veterans Day Parade in Birmingham. That event will take place on Friday, November 11th. But the company also wanted the horses to be seen in more communities around the area.  

"Hoover is definitely a family friendly community that we wanted to expand their tour into," explains Brittany Webb, a spokesperson for the company.

The Clydesdales will be at the Bluff Park Piggly Wiggly parking lot from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Thursday, November 10th. The event is free to the public. 
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POLLING PLACE INFO SHARED AHEAD OF NOVEMBER 8TH ELECTION

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