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Photo by Je'Don Holloway-Talley
State Rep. Mike Shaw-R-Hoover, at the groundbreaking for the Loch Haven Nature Trail on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
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Photo by Je'Don Holloway-Talley
Work is ready to begin for the Loch Haven Nature Trail on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
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Photo by Je'Don Holloway-Talley
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato at the groundbreaking for the Loch Haven Nature Trail on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
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Photo by Je'Don Holloway-Talley
City employees and officials attend the groundbreaking for the Loch Haven Nature Trail on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
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Photo by Je'Don Holloway-Talley
People attend the groundbreaking for the Loch Haven Nature Trail on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. On the front row are Hoover Parks and Recreation Board President Lynn Cummings and Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato.
The city of Hoover held a groundbreaking ceremony today for a new Loch Haven Nature Trail next to Loch Haven Park.
The first phase of the trail will be 1.5 miles long and should cost $40,000 to build, with $20,000 coming from state Rep. Mike Shaw’s discretionary fund and $20,000 from the city of Hoover, Parks and Recreation Director Erin Colbaugh said.
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato said the trail is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to enhance outdoor spaces, noting several recent ribbon-cutting ceremonies aimed at improving access to greenways and blueways.
“This new trail will connect to Little Shades Creek, which runs all through Hoover, and will improve our community’s quality of life,” Brocato said.
The Hoover Public Works Department already has completed a parking lot for the trail, and now work will begin for trail development. Work should take about three weeks if weather cooperates, Colbaugh said.
There likely will be future phases of the trail, including a pedestrian bridge over the creek, but funding and timelines are yet to be determined, Colbaugh said. Shaw said he is committed to providing “upwards of $100,000” of state money for the Loch Haven Nature Trail over time.
Colin Conner, a horticulture and urban forestry manager for the Hoover Public Works Department, credited Shaw with championing the project, with support from the Hoover Parks and Recreation Department and others.
Hoover City Council President John Lyda emphasized the trail’s importance in the city’s commitment to developing greenways. He noted that a recent survey and master plan indicated strong public demand for more trails and said the Loch Haven Nature Trail demonstrates Hoover’s dedication to meeting that demand.
The trail is part of broader efforts to invest in historic neighborhoods such as Green Valley, Bluff Park and Loch Haven.
Photo by Je'Don Holloway-Talley
Work is ready to begin for the Loch Haven Nature Trail on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
“We want the citizens to know that those areas are not forgotten, and through Mike’s generosity from the state of Alabama and through the city’s generosity and vision, we are investing in these trailways to create connectivity to our neighbors and other central Alabama municipalities,” Lyda said. “We want to show our neighbors in Jefferson and Shelby County that we want to be a catalyst for creating trails that you cannot only enjoy here, but one day soon will navigate throughout Red Mountain, Jefferson County and back.”
Lynn Cummings, president of the Hoover Parks and Recreation Board, expressed pride in the collaborative effort.
“This is just one of many projects that are going to be done, and our goal is to continue to work with the city of Hoover to create opportunities for our citizens to have places to enjoy the outdoors,” Cummings said.
Shaw echoed the sentiments of Brocato and others, stressing the exceptional commitment to green spaces in Hoover. He also shared a personal connection, recalling childhood adventures in nature, and expressed excitement that future generations will enjoy similar experiences in their own backyard.
“When I was little boy, we spent a lot of time in the country in the woods having all sorts of adventures, and when we moved further into the city we had to find undeveloped lots to have fun, so it’s exciting to me that this [Loch Haven Nature Trail] is going to be in our backyard with these hundreds of houses and families both inside and outside of Hoover and to know that they are going to get to experience this green space and have those adventures and this quality of life,” Shaw said.
This site is so versatile, and this is just the first step, Shaw said. “The grand vision is more connectivity, more trails and more access.”
