Birmingham donated a critical 71.5 acres to Red Mountain Park, which will allow leaders to build an initial loop trail and open the park.
“That section was really critical to the park, because it essentially split the park in half,” said Steve Jones, chairman of the Red Mountain Greenway and Recreational Area Commission.
The commission is in the process of planning and designing a 1,108-acre park on the crest of Red Mountain, stretching from Homewood nearly to Bessemer.
Most of the land was already purchased from U.S. Steel. However, the city of Birmingham owned a section that ran almost from top to bottom of the park. Without that land, it would have been difficult to connect the east and west ends of the park.
The City Council approved the donation unanimously Tuesday. The land was worth about $700,000, according to the tax assessment.
The park is ultimately expected to cost as much as $30 million to $40 million and require several decades to complete, depending on what amenities the public chooses, including ball fields, a pond and multiple trails. Leaders have agreed to begin simply, with one large loop trail, so that the public can begin to use the park soon.
“With this behind us, we can finish up the design and move forward,” Jones said. “It was more than a piece of property. It was a very critical piece of property for us.”
