Mayor’s Minute

I hope that everyone had a great Fourth of July. Let’s stop for a minute and think about what we were celebrating. We should remember all the sacrifices that were made so that our young nation could gain its independence. We should never take that freedom for granted.  

I always liked this quote from President Ronald Reagan: “Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.”  

Hopefully, you were able to share with your children and grandchildren the reason that we celebrate this holiday.

Our I Love America Day was a success even though the weather forced it to be postponed. I want to personally thank the Shades Mountain Baptist church for hosting the Pops in the Park musical event that was rained out on the original date. Also, I would like to thank the Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church for hosting the main event on July 2 (the rain out date) that was moved indoors due to the threat of more rain and thunderstorms. Both churches stepped up and helped the City celebrate its 37th I Love America Day.

It is hard to believe that the summer has gone by so quickly. August will have many of you preparing for that first day of school. I remember getting a new pair of tennis shoes each summer so that I could get them a little scuffed-up and ready for school.

 I also remember my parents telling me, “You only have one chance to make a first impression. Make it a good first impression.” I may have shared that with my children as well.

August will also be the beginning of our Community Spaces Plan. It will begin in earnest after many years of planning. Some of the infrastructure improvements (sidewalks and roads) will be the first things that you will see. Behind the scenes, there will be multiple professional services contracts for design work, surveying, etc. Over the next few years, you will see many of the projects come to fruition. The much-needed community center/civic center will be the centerpiece of the newly renovated Wald Park area.

Hopefully you are having a fun summer and are making memories with friends and family. Remember, “the tans will fade but the memories will last forever.”