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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Jan Jett walks behind her grandsons, Charlie Beck, 7, and Thomas, 4, at McCallum Park on March 16.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
A man walks along the gravel path at Altadena Valley Park in Vestavia Hills on March 6.
This spring and summer, there is no shortage of outdoor activities for Vestavia Hills residents.
Director of Parks and Leisure Jamie Lee said there has been a great deal of work put in these past several years at Wald Park, which includes a new track and walking path, along with a green space. The city is currently working on turning Altadena Valley Park into a pleasant green space for residents, with walking trails and more set to come in the next several years.
For those wanting to stay active as the weather warms up, there are walking trails not only at city parks and the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex, but also at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest, Lee said.
There are existing trails at McCallum Park, including one that circles at the back of Buckhead Drive, as well as another large trail system near the bridge that runs near Vestavia Hills High School.
Other parks and facilities include the aquatic complex, Cahaba Heights Park and Meadowlawn Park. Smaller parks include Byrd Park, which has a playground and is adjacent to Vestavia Hills Elementary East, and Shallowford Park.
The city also recently opened the Vestavia Hills Civic Center, which offers memberships to enjoy exercise equipment, tracks and a gym.
The city will also host multiple events in the coming months, many in conjunction with the state of Alabama’s longest-running Dogwood Festival, Lee said. There will be a spring sports kickoff, a concert series on the lawn at Wald Park and fun activities at the aquatic center, Lee said. The latter may include “lifeguard wars,” movies at the pool and more.
Sport offerings include baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer, Miracle League and adult soccer and adult basketball, Lee said.
“Being out in the sunshine and the fresh air has all kinds of positive psychological effects,” Lee said. “I don’t think we do that enough in our country anymore.”
There are also opportunities on the water, said Cahaba Riverkeeper David Butler.
Access to Little Shades Creek and the Cahaba River is available at McCallum Park. There are also access points at Meadowlawn Park, he said.
But it’s important to not only enjoy the river, but to take care of it as well, Butler said.
“There’s a lot more people using the river,” he said.
That has led to some people not picking up trash and respecting the access points provided by the city, which might lead to them being taken away, Butler said. There’s also a stormwater runoff issue related to what he called an “old-school” mentality of property development and not considering the runoff impact on places like the Cahaba River.
For those who visit the river, Butler encouraged practicing the “leave no trace” principle and picking up trash, even if you did not leave it. Pay attention to the water and report any issues to the property agency so it can be addressed, he said.
Cahaba Riverkeeper also tests the water for E. coli at access points and provides swim guides, which can be found at cahabariverkeeper.com. A map of access points can be found at cahabablueway.org.
Here’s a list of Vestavia parks and facilities, all of which can also be found on the city’s website, vhal.org:
Aquatic Complex: 1973 Merryvale Road (located off U.S. 31 at Wald Park). The new aquatic complex opened in 2020 and features a competition pool and family-style pool.
Boulder Canyon Nature Trail: 1289 U.S. 31 (behind the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest). The trail begins at the library and includes a nature trail, bridge and waterfall.
Byrd Park: 2109 Tyson Drive. The park features a walking track and a playground, as well as picnic areas.
Cahaba Heights Park: 4401 Dolly Ridge Road. This park includes, in addition to open green space, turf baseball fields and an inclusive playground, along with the New Merkel House. The park also includes a dog park.
Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex: 4851 Sicard Hollow Road. SHAC features four synthetic turf multipurpose fields with an adjacent playground. SHAC also features a splash pad, which is open from 9 a.m. to sunset, as well as futsal and pickleball courts. More information about those courts can be found online.
Liberty Park Sports Complex: 4700 Sicard Hollow Road. The Liberty Park Sports Complex features two playgrounds, soccer fields and softball fields.
McCallum Park: 3332 Rosemary Lane. McCallum Park is a passive park with walking trails, open green space, pavilions, restrooms and grills on which to cook over open flames. Little Shades Creek meanders through the park and is located just off Rocky Ridge Road.
Meadowlawn Park: 4041 Dolly Ridge Road. This park features a pavilion and walking trail, along with some playground equipment.
Shallowford Park: 3334 Shallowford Road. This park is a small, neighborhood pocket park and playground without parking or restroom facilities.
Wald Park: 1973 Merryvale Road (located off U.S. 31). While some of Wald Park remains under construction, the walking trail, playground, baseball fields and batting cages are open, along with the aquatic center and “Great Lawn” area. The final phase of Wald Park will include the construction of six tennis courts, six pickleball courts, more than 100 parking spaces, a dog park and another walking trail.
