City awarded grant for future Cahaba Heights park

Cahaba Heights residents can look forward to a new park by summer 2015.

City Manager Jeff Downes announced at a December City Council meeting that the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has awarded $50,000 for amenities at the planned new park located in Cahaba Heights. The park will be located near Meadowlawn Drive and Dolly Ridge Road.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham for its support. This is another important piece of the puzzle to provide a park for the residents of Cahaba Heights,” says Mayor Butch Zaragoza.

The Community Foundation support will be used to purchase and install park amenities. Improvements may include items such as a crushed stone trail, benches, a pavilion, and entrance landscaping and signage.

The Cawaco Resource, Conservation, and Development Council made an award earlier this year for the design of the trail within the green space, which will be a restored wetland converted from four existing residential properties.

The City will be able to purchase these properties through the assistance of a partially forgivable Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Design of the wetland began in October of this year, and construction should begin in Spring. The park is targeted to open around summer of next year.

Prior to the council meeting, the City presented the findings from a town hall meeting and planning charettes for Cahaba Heights, particularly the area surrounding Pump House Road, Cahaba Heights Road and Dolly Ridge Road.

The presentation including a rendering of future opportunities in Cahaba Heights. Developments include proposed Cahaba Heights Methodist Church redevelopment, and a proposed civic center that would include a civic building and civic green. 

Connectivity, a long time concern of local residents, was also addressed in the presentation. Opportunities include extending Pipe Line Trail to the Summit and creating pedestrian connections to retail on Crosshaven Drive and Green Valley Road.