Eagle Scout responsible for Meadowlawn Park pavilion

On Jan. 7, Eagle Scout Will Cook, Troop 76, and his crew of volunteers nailed the last shingle on the roof of a new pavilion at Meadowlawn Park in Cahaba Heights. 

Will is the son of Greg and Kimberly Cook and a Boy Scout from Troop 76, Liberty Crossings UMC. He is a junior at Vestavia Hills High School.

Cook first became interested in designing an Eagle project to benefit Meadowlawn Park because it was a new park, without many amenities, and also because his mother, Kimberly Cook, is a councilor for the city of Vestavia Hills. When he approached the city with idea of building a park bench or installing some additional landscaping, City Manager Jeff Downes suggested that Cook build a pavilion so neighbors would have a cool place to sit and enjoy the shade.

Cook engaged the support of a local businessman — Raymond Gotlieb, owner of The Heights Village Shopping Center — to pay for the $2000 in materials. Will also raised $900 in additional funds to cover incidental expenses such as food for his workers and a placard. After a long period of gaining the necessary approvals and developing his plans, Cook recruited workers from his troop and the local community to build a 14-foot by 14-foot pavilion that will serve the residents of Cahaba Heights for many years to come. Instead of building from a kit, Cook designed his own plans, using resources from the internet and the help of Richard Pace, his construction adviser.

Cook’s project took a total of 325 man-hours, cost almost $3,000 and took five work days to build. Cook donated his leftover funds to the Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation Foundation.

– Submitted by Kimberly Cook.