Committees wrap up first round of Community Spaces discussion forums

It’s been a little more than a month since the Vestavia Hills City Council approved a contract with TCU Consulting Services for the management of the Community Spaces plan, but the firm has already moved through two series of meetings.

TCU met with the eight subcommittees of the Community Spaces Committees for initial information sessions to determine a basic list of what each project might consist of.

Then, over the last week, TCU and the subcommittees held eight public discussion forums to get more information about what the public does and does not want for each aspect of the plan.

Subcommittees wrapped up the last of the public forums Tuesday evening.

Throughout the meetings, TCU staff members asked the community members, city staff and other stakeholders present to not hold back, and to submit ideas regardless of cost or scope.

“The end product will only be as good as the input we put into it now,” project manager Andy Bernard said of the process.

Gold’s Gym

The “Meeting 2” series began with discussion about what the building adjacent to City Hall–known as the Gold’s Gym property–could become when and if the gym ever moves out.

In the city’s iteration of the plan, the building would become a multipurpose space for non-athletic programming.

Much of the discussion focused on banquet and meeting space, something Chamber of Commerce President Karen Odle said Vestavia Hills desperately lacks.

Odle said the Chamber constantly gets requests from businesses and groups for spaces to hold events or meetings, but that the city’s current facilities either don’t provide enough space, or are constantly booked.

“We constantly are having to find other spaces,” she said.

Others, including Director of Public Services Brian Davis, noted that the current Civic Center is dated, has a lack of storage space, and can barely support the programming the city currently has–much less anything citizens might want to add.

Some of the ideas voiced by those at the forum included having a banquet space that could fit up to 200 people, having a “coffee shop” or open space where seniors or others could gather to just build community, having classroom space that could be used for everything from art and cooking classes to scout meetings, having rentable spaces for medium and large events and having a larger scale “warming kitchen” for those events.

The discussion also brought to light concerns that senior citizens or “older adults” along the U.S. 31 corridor may not have as many outlets to gather and get involved as those near the New Merkel House in Cahaba Heights.

Former Altadena Valley Country Club

Possibly the meeting with the highest attendance, the discussion about what the city should do with the former Altadena Valley Country Club property centered around one major issue: passive park space.

Representatives from environmental groups such as the Cahaba Riverkeeper and Cahaba River Society, along with residents in and around the area came to voice their support of leaving as much of the land natural and passive as possible.

“It’s not that we hate ballfields, we just think there’s bound to be a better place for them,” Riverkeeper President Peggy Gargis said.

In one iteration of the plan, the Altadena property called for ballfields that could serve as practice spaces or support for the city’s other baseball facilities, but subcommittee chair Tommy Dazzio stressed that no decision had been made on whether the site needed ballfields or not.

“Personally, I think it’s a gorgeous piece of property, I would love for the city to be able to use it as a passive park. I think that we need it in the city,” he said. “I think most of the people on this subcommittee would like to see this as a passive park if that’s possible.”

In addition to environmental issues, residents who live near the proposed park expressed their concerns with the additional traffic along Acton Road, and the hazard an entrance on the eastern side of the park creates.

TCU Managing Principal Ken Upchurch told those at the meeting he appreciated their passion, and reiterated that his team was taking their concerns into account.

“We felt like coming from the outside, we came in with an unfiltered lens,” he said in response to concerns that some decision makers were being influenced by only some recreational interests.

“It’s our job to listen,” he said.

In addition to leaving the park natural, ideas discussed were having an educational center to teach residents and those from all around about the biodiversity of the Cahaba River. Some expressed an interest in walking trails, benches and decking to walk over the wetland area, as well as a community garden.

Wald Park Ballfields

When discussing the athletic facilities at Wald Park, TCU staff urged both the subcommittee members and the gathered coaches and parents to think outside of what is already at the facility, and the capabilities it has, and instead focus on what would best serve the people that want to use it.

David Myers with the Parks and Recreation Board said he wanted to make it clear from the beginning that the focus of the programing and space considerations should be focused on the hundreds of residents who use it.

“As a park board we’ve said it’s going to be citizens first and revenue second,” he said, referring to questions about bringing in tournaments and allowing other entities to rent out the fields.

City Councilor Rusty Weaver said he wanted to make sure there were considerations for athletes of all ages, and that he also wanted to make sure that the Board of Education was involved in the conversations, since the property backs up to Vestavia Hills Elementary West.

One of the features discussed in depth during the forum was the addition of a Miracle Field–a dedicated field for use by children and adults with physical and mental disabilities.

With its location along the U.S. 31 corridor, proximity to multiple elementary schools and the space Wald Park provides, Weaver and fellow Councilor Paul Head said that there is a strong case to be made for locating the Miracle Field there.

One of the proposed locations would be where the current “exchange field” sits at the lower end of the property. Major considerations, Davis said, would be on having adequate parking and the proximity to an inclusive playground space.

Other items discussed were the addition of new batting cages or a hitting facility that could be utilized in the evenings, the debate on whether the facility would be best served by artificial turf or natural grass and the types of fencing and netting to use.

“It’s not expensive stuff, it’s doing it right,” Head said.

Pool at Wald Park

The pool facility became a central example for Bernard and TCU to explain the frame of mind they wanted the community to view the discussions at the forums.

The pool isn’t necessarily locked into its current position, they said. While there are cost ramifications of moving it, it could be moved–whether that is three feet to the left or right, or three miles to the left or right.

Pool Manager Candia Cole explained that for the most part, people are happy with the pool, aside from the constant request to be open earlier or later.

Parents in the audience said they would prefer if the pool were open to the public earlier in the day, and kept open later in the evening, to account for the frequent weather delays that limit swim time.

Representatives from Vestavia Swim Association and Birmingham Swim League presented what they said could be helpful for hosting more meets and tournaments, as well as how the pool would need to be reconfigured for greater competition use.

Multiple parents expressed concern that the pool be focused on the community aspect, rather than the competition aspect, and asked if it was possible to divide the space to allow for simultaneous use.

Additionally, Cole and others said that the way the pool is currently set up is unique to Vestavia, and allows children to learn to swim and gain confidence, and that certain configurations–like a zero entry pool or “wave” pool–while fun for some, isn’t conducive to teaching kids to swim.

A new deck and shaded area, as well as new bathrooms and concession facilities were listed as significant needs and wants, as well as additional programming such as night swims, movie nights and other activities.

Multi-purpose athletic facility at Wald Park

The discussion about indoor athletic space focused on the proposal to add a new building at Wald Park which would be a multi-use athletic space.

The initial plans included multiple court spaces, with additional rooms that could be used for fitness classes and other activities like Jazzercise or ballroom dance.

Discussion focused on the size and quantity of the courts that would be necessary to support the current needs of recreational basketball, but also how additional programs like volleyball could be added.

Former City Councilor Gayle England said she thought having not only space for organized sports, but courts and spaces for the general public, such as college kids home for the summer, where anyone could just pick up a game.

Davis said an indoor track would likely be well utilized, but that having fitness equipment like treadmills or weight machines may be beyond the city’s capabilities.

Tennis also came up as needing serious attention, with the desire from multiple audience members to have additional tennis facilities available at Wald Park.

Flexible goals and volleyball equipment were also listed as major needs, along with workable concessions that can provide at least popcorn, pizza by the slice or even Chick-fil-A sandwiches.

Cahaba Heights Ballfields & New Merkel

As the location for a majority of the games played by Vestavia’s youngest athletes, the main issue for the rehabilitation of the Cahaba Heights ballfields was focused on parking, traffic and the aesthetics of the space.

As another site that is right next to a school, TCU and the committee members said they wanted to take particular care to make sure the facility worked for both parties, and could benefit both.

Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights Principal Alicia Hunsberger said her main concern was safety and security, and said there would need to be a way to close off any access roads during school hours, if possible.

At the forum, the debate over whether or not to use artificial turf or real grass was brought up again, but Davis and former park board member Tommy Dazzio said it would depend on what kind of programming was desired at the fields.

Other items discussed were additional signage and some type of pavilion or shade space where parents could gather during games.

In addition to the ballfields, the senior facilities at the New Merkel House were heavily discussed.

Program Coordinator Melanie Perry said her list of items included additional and upgraded bathrooms, a full kitchen, a computer and media room, significantly larger meeting space, space for art activities, better access to the building and more parking for seniors, better office facilities, outdoor areas for events or just for sitting and rooms that could be used by scouts or other groups looking to meet in the Cahaba Heights area.

City Councilor Kimberly Cook suggested some kind of satellite library space, and park board president Anne Smyth suggested having general community space.

Bernard asked if an entire new space would be preferred, and while she recognized it would cost more, Harper said it would be nice to have.

Davis said that having a premier senior space would be a major draw for Cahaba Heights.

“We need to make this a special place,” he said. “This is absolutely another destination opportunity.”

Liberty Park Ballfields

The discussion around the ballfields at Liberty Park, which are used for softball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse and other activities, focused on minor fixes compared to some of the other projects.

Committee members agreed that the space is uniquely large, and that with some reconfiguring, could easily hold additional amenities.

Some options discussed as being major desires included a hitting facility that could double as a bullpen or pitching warm up area, additional storage space and making minor adjustments to add 25-50 more parking spaces.

The edge of the space near Field 6 was also discussed as another possible location for the Miracle Field because of its proximity to parking at the facility and the ability to use some of the existing outfield space.

Much of the “bones” of the press box, restroom and concessions facilities are in good shape, but need some significant renovations as they are nearly 20 years old, subcommittee members said.

Like all of the facilities, the suggestion was made to add WiFi capabilities as well as possibly adding an additional playground space that would be more inclusive and closer to the majority of the fields.

Storage space, especially for baseball and softball, were also a major desire.

Premier Green Space

The final meeting of the series focused on what the committee has referred to as the “premiere green space” at Wald Park.

By removing the lodge and reconfiguring access roads and parking, the goal of the committee was to add significant, open field space in the heart of Wald Park.

Around the perimeter could be walking trails and tracks, as well as multiple pavilions and other amenities, even a passive workout space with stationary equipment for adults.

In addition to a traditional playground space, the committee also discussed having a “premier” playground space that utilizes the natural change in elevation at the edge of the park. Slides and other pieces could be designed to make use of the topography, and become a draw from all over the area, said subcommittee chair and former City Councilor Steve Ammons.

TCU staff said that any new playgrounds would be inclusive for those with different ability levels, and Davis stressed the need to preserve the history of the Castle Park playground, as it was built by the community.

Ammons reminded the committee and the audience of City Manager Jeff Downes’ adage: “Don’t let money get in the way of vision,” and that while not everything would be able to fit in the space, they were going to consider all of it.

A formal dog park was discussed, but received mixed reviews from those at the meeting as well as those watching on Facebook Live.

Others suggested having a beach volleyball area, as well as multiple pavilions that could be used or rented out.

Moving Forward

Now that the subcommittees and TCU have collected additional data, a third round of meetings is scheduled beginning July 25.

At those meetings, TCU will present a complete list of the wants and wishes collected at the “Meeting 2” series, and will likely use the Vestavia Hills Listens platform to get an idea of how each ranks in terms of priority.

[For more on the community spaces plan, visit the city’s webpage here.]