Photo by Erin Nelson.
Alice Erdberg, Ann Goldstein and Zena Schulman walk along the trail at Cahaba River Park in Mountain Brook. The women used to walkat Brookwood Mall, but they have had to find other places to walk since the mall has closed.
Mountain Brook residents make exercise, including outdoor recreation, a big part of their lifestyles, according to city officials.
"Our residents are very fitness and health conscious," City Manager Sam Gaston said. "I think the residents spend a great deal of time and energy on trying to stay healthy and fit," said City Council President Virginia Smith, who serves as council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Board. "Almost every resident I know living in our city is passionate about some physical activity, whether it be golf, tennis, biking, running or walking or weight training," Mayor Stewart Welch III said.
The city's passion for health received some positive media attention in 2020 when Mountain Brook was ranked No. 1 in a survey called "Alabama's 50 Top Cities for Fit Lifestyles." The survey looked at about 10 factors, including exercise opportunities. "With our parks, sidewalks and numerous fitness businesses, these is ample opportunities for our residents to keep in shape," Gaston said.
The coming of warm weather officially arrives March 20 - can only encourage more people to go outside and exercise. The coming of spring in 2022 also dovetails almost exactly with the second anniversary of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
But recreation - especially outdoors - has been a reliable way for people to cope with the pandemic.
Photo by Erin Nelson.
Children play at Overton Park.
Smith said she thinks the pandemic "has been driving a lot of people outside." She said the city's ever-expanding sidewalk system has been "a really terrific way for people to deal with panic and the isolation."
"I'm fortunate to work next to the Jemison Trail so I see the daily use, and it picked up pretty dramatically when the pandemic hit," City Councilor Alice Womack said.
Park and Recreation Superintendent Shanda Williams said the city's walking and jogging trails have gotten a lot of use during the pandemic, though that usage has dropped a bit the last year. "We still have a lot of visitors in our parks, but not as many as there were when everyone was on lockdown and couldn't go anywhere else," Williams said.
However, the pandemic also spurred some residents to discover recreation opportunities in the city that they have continued to enjoy. "I think the lockdown gave more people the opportunity to be outdoors and see what all our parks have to offer, and they do choose to come back in their leisure time," Williams said.
It's important for the city to continue to invest in its athletic and recreation facilities, Gaston said. "These are quality-of-life issues," he said. "Communities that invest in their recreational facilities and opportunities generally are much more attractive for people to live, work and play."
Improvements to city facilities - including major renovations underway at the Athletic Complex at Mountain Brook High School - also help Mountain Brook remain competitive with neighboring communities, Gaston said.
Mountain Brook residents value their parks and green spaces and are "very supportive" of efforts to improve and maintain them, Womack said.
There are numerous people who wish to serve on the Parks and Recreation Board, and the city also receives help from Friends of Jemison Park, local garden clubs and other volunteers in cleaning up creeks or making park improvements, she said.
At press time, upgrades at the Athletic Complex, which offers facilities for baseball, softball, soccer and tennis, were expected to be completed by the end of March, Williams said.
Improvements at the facility over the past two years have included artificial turf, a new concession stand, a playground, restrooms and walkways.
Renovations to Field No. 1 should be complete in time for the spring season, Williams said. Those renovations include artificial turf, LED lights and batting cages.
"The complex is over 30 years old and was due for some improvements," Williams said. "I think it is great that the city and Board of Education were able to find a way to get all the needed improvements done all at the same time."
Upgrades to the field at Cherokee Bend Elementary are all but done, Williams said. Those improvements include new fencing, netting, LED lights and a restroom.
As a way to celebrate the coming of spring, we also provide a guide to outdoor recreation opportunities for Mountain Brook residents. So if you're eager to find a release from both the pandemic and a long winter, you have plenty of options to get exercise or have fun outdoors.
SELECTED CITY PARKS
- Cahaba River Walk, 3503 Overton Road, offers fishing, swimming, rafting, a paved walking trail and a dog park, as well as a pavilion, picnic tables and other activities. The park's most popular features are the dog park, several scenic views of the river and easy access to the river. In fact, Cahaba River Walk was dedicated in 2019 as an official Cahaba Blueway access point. It is one of about 15 such sites created to allow people to enjoy the Cahaba, one of the most beautifully and biologically diverse waterways in the region. For more information on each site, current water quality and other information, go to cahabablueway.org.
- Irondale Furnace, located at 4143 Stone River Road, is a unique facility with a walking and jogging trail, as well as dog stations, picnic tables, scenic views and other features. The trail also feature the remnants of an old Civil War blast furnace that was used to make pig iron. "The scenery along the trail is absolutely beautiful in the fall," Williams said.
- Jemison Park, 2615 Mountain Brook Parkway, features the Jemison Park Nature Trail, which is good for all skills levels. There's also fishing, swimming, rafting, bird watching and other activities. The park features beautiful native plants and scene views, as well. The park offers "one of Alabama's most beautiful trails as it meanders along Shades Creek," Welch said.
- Sports fields in the city - including those at Crestline Elementary, Cherokee Bend Elementary and Mountain Brook Elementary -are open to the public during non-school hours for use by individuals and small family groups, but there are some restrictions on their use. For details, call 205-802-3877.
TRAILS, PLAYGROUNDS, OTHER FACILITIES
The trails in the city include those at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church, 3405 Brookwood Road; Nature Trail, 3344 Overbrook Road; and Watkins Trace Trail, 2400 Mountain Brook Parkway.
Overton Park, 3020 Overton Road, offers such amenities as a basketball court and tennis courts, and there are soccer fields at Rathmell Sports Park, 3576 East St.
There are several playgrounds as well, including the Crestline Tot Lot at 3781 Jackson Blvd. and Canterbury Park at 2750 Canterbury Road. Canterbury Park was redone in 2020 with new equipment and should receive some additional landscaping and a water fountain in 2022, Williams said Her department is also working to increase accessibility at the Tot Lot and to create additional parking and solve some erosion issues at Jemison Park. For a complete list and descriptions of all municipal parks and trails in the city, go to mtnbrook.org/parksites.
COVID-19 GUIDELINES
The city's parks and other facilities are currently open to the public, Williams said. "We do encourage the public to take personal safety precautions while visiting our parks by using hand sanitizer frequently and wearing masks or keeping their distance from others as they feel necessary," she said.
Williams said her department is receiving many requests for pavilion rentals for birthday parties during the pandemic. "It's a good way for friends and families to be together and have room to separate," she said.
Overton Park is a "great option" for such gatherings because of the playground and several picnic tables and benches.
OTHER FACILITIES NEAR MOUNTAIN BROOK
- Red Mountain Park, 2011 Frankfurt Drive, was once the site of iron ore mining, Red Mountain Park is now a 1,500-acre urban green space, one of the largest in the country. It offers more than 15 miles of trails, two city overlooks, the 6-acre off-leash Remy's Dog Park and other amenities. 205-202-6043. redmountainpark.org
- Railroad Park, 1600 First Ave. S., is a 19-acre green space in downtown Birmingham. It offers several walking and running trails, outdoor gym equipment, a designated area for skateboarders, a lake, sweeping lawns and a great view of downtown. 205-521-9933. railroadpark.org
- Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve, 1214 81st St. S. An urban nature preserve in South East Lake with more than 1,000 acres, Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve offers 14 miles of trails and is a protected area for thousands of species of native plants. 205- 833-8264. ruffnermountain.org
- Developed by Freshwater Land Trust, the Red Rock Trail System is an ongoing effort to develop a 750-mile network of greenway trails and on-street walking and cycling paths in Jefferson County over the next couple of decades. The Jemison Park Nature Trail in Mountain Brook is part of this network. 205-417-2777. freshwaterlandtrust.org
- Mountain Brook residents in search of an easy stroll in beautiful, calming surroundings should visit the Birmingham Botanical Gardens at 2612 Lane Park Road near Mountain Brook Village. In addition to an indoor conservatory, the gardens - covering 67.5 acres - offer numerous outdoor attractions. The 6-acre Barber Alabama Woodland includes the facility's oldest native trees. 205- 414-3950. bbgardens.org
- The Birmingham Zoo, 2630 Cahaba Road, is another great place to get out of the house during the pandemic. Covering about 122 acres, the zoo has both indoor facilities and outdoor areas where guests can socially distance while getting exercise and fresh air. 205-879-0409. birminghamzoo.com.
