Rec Center Director Bill Wilder Brings Team-First Vision and Momentum to Alabaster’s “Crown Jewel”
By Lee Hurley
Photo by Steven Ross
When Alabaster opens its 84,000-square-foot recreation center alongside the new library, Director Bill Wilder wants residents to feel like they’re stepping into more than a building—he wants them to feel community. A few weeks into the job, Wilder is setting a tone that blends servant leadership, customer-first service, and hard-won experience from decades in coaching, municipal recreation, and entertainment operations.
Originally from the Birmingham area, Wilder attended Briarwood Christian School and played baseball on scholarship at the University of Montevallo, where he finished a degree in education and began coaching. That path led to teaching and athletic administration at Shades Mountain Christian and Briarwood, and then to the City of Hoover in 2007.
Promoted to Recreation Center Director in 2008, Wilder led a 75,000-square-foot facility for nearly 15 years, overseeing a five-year capital improvement plan that refreshed each major venue area and, importantly, taught him how to turn community feedback into practical upgrades. “In Hoover, the city grew from about 70,000 to more than 90,000, and membership rose from 4,500 to 7,000,” Wilder notes. “Listening to residents guided every renovation—from gyms to pools—and that mindset is coming with me to Alabaster.”
Wilder’s route back to Alabama also included a family driven move to Florida and a stint with PopStroke—the Tiger Woods–backed golf entertainment concept—helping open the Tuscaloosa location. That role sharpened his event and hospitality chops, from corporate parties to collegiate celebrations, reinforcing a philosophy he carries into public service: you never meet a stranger—only a friend you haven’t made yet.
Wilder recounts an Uber ride where the driver—unprompted—praised Alabaster’s coming rec center and its “nice director,” only to discover she was speaking to him. The story, he says, captures the excitement he’s hearing across the community, from families eager for youth programs and childcare to homeschoolers planning dual days at the rec center and the library.
Alabaster’s facility aims to open in summer 2027, a target that reflects the city’s desire to debut all amenities—especially seasonal draws like the pool and splash pad—at full strength. Between now and then, Wilder is leading the intricate march to opening day: staffing plans for numerous full- and part-time roles, policies and procedures, programming models, and detailed budgets that align operations with the building’s state-of-the-art infrastructure.
On programming, Wilder previews a robust slate: more than 20 fitness classes led by top-tier instructors and on-site childcare that makes healthy routines attainable for busy families. He emphasizes broad accessibility—individuals, families, and seniors will all find a home in the building’s mix of offerings.
Wilder describes himself as a “team organizer,” focused on building a high-energy, highly trained staff that sees every resident as a partner in the center’s success. “Facilities like this and the library create momentum and unity,” he says. “Our job is to meet people’s needs with warmth, knowledge, and great service.”
Specifics like membership structures and exact opening dates will come into sharper focus in the months ahead, with Wilder expecting clearer answers by January. Until then, he’s out meeting people, learning names, and reinforcing a simple promise: when the doors open, Alabaster’s new crown jewel will feel like home the moment you walk in.