Birmingham approves South Roebuck Park wheelchair accessible "pocket preserve"

South Roebuck Park prep work (Ruffner Mountain).

Today, the Birmingham City Council authorized financing for the redevelopment of East Side Park, also called South Roebuck Park.

According to the resolution that was passed all, $750,000 of the monies for the task will originate from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The city is cracking in an additional $250,000.

Birmingham's very first totally available pocket preserve

South Roebuck Park (Ruffner Mountain).

Located at 621 Dogwood Drive and owned by Ruffner Mountain, the park will be transformed into a fully wheelchair accessible "pocket maintain.".

" The main questions we get asked at Ruffner Mountain and Turkey Creek are from that mom who just had a baby who asks, 'Where can I use a stroller for my infant?' or the dad whose daughter remains in a wheelchair asking, 'where is a location to access something that feels like the woods?' That's the important things that I feel like we can provide-- a trail, a pocket preserve-- to fix this huge problem. That's the goal.".

~ Carlee Sanford, Ruffner Mountain.

The moneying the Birmingham City Council authorized is an excellent start. If all goes as planned it will develop 10,000 feet of wheelchair-accessible tracks that will connect various immersive learning and natural sensory centers.

Preserve will change Birmingham's Roebuck Springs

Roebuck Spring on the east end of town. (Pat Byington/ Bham Now).

I'm delighted that East Side Park-- which has actually been shabby and uninhabited-- will now be able to be an ADA available location of Ruffner Mountain. I think it will not only change the Roebuck Springs community but truly be an asset for the entire east side.".

~ Hunter Williams, Birmingham City Councilor.

Williams kept in mind at the Council meeting that Ruffner Mountain and regional leaders still need to raise extra funds to finish the job. Just recently, the conservation group was granted $25,000 by the Phillip Morris Fund for Design Arts to assist support the landscape style work.

If you are interested in supporting the South Roebuck Park redevelopment, contact Ruffner Mountain..

Have you checked out South Roebuck Park/East Side Park? Tell us your preferred memory on social media by tagging us at @bhamnow.

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