From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM – Freshwater Land Trust (FLT) officially opened the Bryant-Jordan Trail Spur on Tuesday, Oct. 3, a new addition to the popular Kiwanis Vulcan Trail in Birmingham. Members of FLT’s staff were joined by Dr. David Hicks, Jefferson County’s new Health Officer, Scott Myers of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Shelton Thompson from the Bryant-Jordan Student Athlete Scholarship Program, and Jeh Jeh Pruitt with Good Day Alabama at the entrance to the new trail spur for a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The development of this trail spur was made possible by a land donation from the Bryant-Jordan Scholar Athlete Foundation, Inc. The 4.62-acre parcel runs from Beacon Parkway further up the mountain down to the edge of the Kiwanis Vulcan Trail, an area that has seen significant development interest in recent years. Proximity to the trail and the expansive views along this ridge have attracted many previous building attempts, despite the challenging terrain. The Foundation’s donation of this property to FLT provides an ecological buffer between plots where development has been undertaken or will occur in the future and preserves important greenspace directly alongside the trail.
“The Bryant-Jordan Foundation is honored to be a part of the Kiwanis Vulcan Trail,” Scott Myers, CEO and Executive Director of Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, said. “Our Board of Directors was eager to put this property to good use and being able to donate this land to the Freshwater Land Trust was the perfect fit. The Bryant-Jordan Trail Spur signifies the culmination of many months of planning, and we are grateful for our partnership with Rusha Smith and her team, who worked diligently to bring this all together.”
The construction of the trail spur, sponsored by the Jefferson County Department of Health, leaves room for additional amenities that will enhance the user experience on the Kiwanis Vulcan Trail. In the future, FLT hopes to enlist volunteers and scouts to help build static workout stations that will include basic equipment like benches and pull-up bars. By having these workout stations along a trail already popular with hikers and runners, FLT hopes to create a space for other fitness enthusiasts to enjoy along the Kiwanis Vulcan Trail.
The Bryant-Jordan Scholar Athlete Foundation, named after two of our state’s most recognizable football coaches, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Ralph “Shug” Jordan, awards college scholarships to high-achieving student athletes from across 52 regions of the state. The program gifts scholarship money (approximately one million dollars every year) to support high school seniors who demonstrate exceptional academic and athletic performance and who have succeeded by overcoming significant obstacles.
FLT is the facilitator of the Red Rock Trail System, a 750-mile master plan of trails, parks, bike lanes, and sidewalks throughout Jefferson County. The opening of the Bryant-Jordan Trail Spur follows the recent two-mile extension of the beloved Five Mile Creek Greenway, which opened on June 2, 2023. More miles are soon to be announced: FLT partnered with the city of Birmingham to secure a $21 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant that will build 2.5 miles of new urban trails in the Civil Rights District and Smithfield neighborhood.
For more information on the Red Rock Trail System, visit https://freshwaterlandtrust.org/what-we-do/about-red-rock-trail-system/.