Photo by Erin Nelson.
Temple of Sibyl - Vestavia HIlls
The iconic Temple of Sibyl on U.S. 31 marks the entrance of the city of Vestavia Hills. The city will celebrate its 70th birthday later this year.
While plans aren’t definite yet for the city of Vestavia Hills’ 70th birthday celebration, Mayor Ashley Curry said there will definitely be plenty of opportunities to celebrate the city’s birthday this year.
The official birthday is in November, but Curry said any official party or celebration would probably be held earlier in the year.
Curry said if the Dogwood Luncheon is held this year, it will likely focus on the history of the city, and the birthday party may be held in conjunction with Art in the Hills, an annual art show that was not held in 2019 but could be brought back.
There are plans to form a Vestavia Arts Council that would focus on revitalizing the arts scene in the city, and that could also be part of the official celebration, Curry said.
The group that owns the Vestavia Hills City Center has also expressed a desire to host events, to go along with their remodeling of the common area near Panera Bread, he said. While details are not confirmed, Curry said the city might hold a family-friendly event at the center.
Plans will more than likely include bringing in the Vestavia Hills Historical Society and displaying photographs of what the city looked like 70 years ago, and the city might also display some of Vestavia’s oldest homes during a historical home tour, Curry said.
He wants to involve the Vestavia Hills school system in the celebration because it is regarded as the main reason families move into the city, he said.
“The 70th needs to be something special,” Curry said.
The celebration will “definitely” honor the city’s past, but also celebrate its present and look to the future, he said.
“Where we are now … that’s easy to do [celebrate],” Curry said.
In the future, he wants to see Vestavia continue to be a stable community with constant growth. The city has not been as affected negatively by online sales as other cities in the area have, and continues to see more and more sales tax revenue, allowing the city to continue to move forward, he said.
“We’re stable because of local businesses that are supported by our residents,” Curry said.
While the initial development of Vestavia took place along Shades Crest Road as a way for people in Birmingham to escape the heat of downtown and retreat up the mountain, the city has expanded along U.S. 31, as well as with the annexations of Cahaba Heights and Liberty Park.
“Our future really is going to be the redevelopment of 31 South (the south end of U.S. 31) and Liberty Park,” Curry said.
Vestavia, Curry said, is a destination city, offering quality, affordable homes and a renowned school system, as well as improving infrastructure as part of the Community Spaces Plan.
“There are a lot of good reasons to live here,” Curry said.
Even when children graduate from the school system and move away from home, residents make the choice to continue to live in Vestavia, he said.
“People don’t leave here when they’re empty nesters,” Curry said.
