By Karen Bareford, Ph.D., Cahaba River Society’s River Sustainability Director. She leads our efforts to reduce pollution, erosion, and flooding impacts on the river, improve climate resilience, promote water equity, protect biodiversity, and increase healthy green spaces and river access for all.

In January 2024, the City of Hoover released its Parks, Public Spaces, + Recreation Plan. Cahaba River Society’s  Field Programs Director Wil Rainer served on the Steering Committee, along with our former River Sustainability Director Ben Wegleitner (now with The Nature Conservancy). They provided expertise and practical knowledge throughout the development of this community-driven vision that will shape Hoover Parks and Recreation for the next 15-20 years by “helping city managers and elected officials to prioritize projects and allocate funds more effectively.”

Cahaba River Society supports the dedication to environmental stewardship outlined in the plan, which describes Hoover’s desire to “be stewardship leaders” and “use open space as a tool to protect naturally sensitive areas.” Plan development was a collaborative process involving city leaders, experts, and business leaders like Signature Homes President Jonathan Belcher, who donated significant time and expertise to the process. 

The report is available for download on Hoover’s website.

Plan Development

The plan development process (described on page 12) started with a rigorous discovery phase to gather data and input from citizens, stakeholders, and experts. The 2nd phase involved analysis of lifestyle and leisure trends to understand recreational needs at a city level. The project concluded with recommendations, including a plan framework, action plan, staffing recommendations, and recommendations for the plan’s four focus areas.

• System (e.g., a holistic approach and unified path forward)
• Parks
• Blueways and greenways
• Programming

Three principles and five objectives root the plan in what’s best for Hoover and the effect that access to natural areas and amenities has on helping attract high-skilled workers and tourism to a region.  

Guiding Principles

1. All actions should support the city’s comprehensive plan.
2. Benefits should begin with local Hoover and extend to regional/national impact to leverage investment. 
3. Outdoor recreation and sports tourism should be recognized as an economic development tool for Hoover.

Objectives

1. Support the collection of neighborhoods–open space improvements will support and celebrate Hoover’s collection of neighborhoods as an organizing element
2. Connect locally and regionally–providing well-connected and safe access by boat, bike, or foot
3. Celebrate the natural beauty of Hoover–improve access while protecting and enhancing open spaces
4. Diversify offerings–to meet a range of needs across diverse user groups and a broad geographic footprint
5. Be organizationally smart–continue to build on the organizational efforts to strengthen the Parks and Recreation Department.

A Regional Leader in Environmental Stewardship

The Cahaba River impacts and is impacted by infrastructure throughout Hoover. More than 10% of the Cahaba River’s 194-mile length is in Hoover. With such a significant portion of this biological treasure’s floodplain in the city’s parks and greenways, communities will feel the impact of this plan’s implementation, from the point where the river enters Hoover to its confluence with the Alabama River near Selma and on to the Gulf of Mexico.

The plan describes Hoover’s desire to be a regional leader for environmental stewardship, committing to meeting regulatory requirements for environmental protection, controlling erosion, following current stormwater regulations, and preserving wetlands, waterway channels, naturalized areas, and habitats. The plan also says improvements, new parks, and greenways should be integrated with the natural landform, be sensitive to the surrounding environment, and minimize impact.  

A Good Plan for the River

In his role on the Steering Committee, Wil Rainer submitted extensive comments regarding the draft plan and recommended actions. We were delighted to see Wil’s expertise reflected in the plan, including a new strategy that says the city should “Develop guidelines for riparian trail development near sensitive waterways that incorporate best management practices.” Hoover also included a variety of action steps to help protect and accentuate the natural areas in the city (see pages 145-146).  These actions will help preserve natural areas, provide access for residents and tourists, and protect the Cahaba River.

A Good Plan for Hoover

The Parks and Public Spaces+ Recreation Plan will benefit the City of Hoover, local businesses, and property owners by implementing strategies that help the river withstand future rain events better, which protects citizens, property, and infrastructure from flooding and saves taxpayers money in the long run. The plan’s attention to the environment and commitment to best practices will reduce long-term maintenance costs, providing significant long-term savings for Hoover taxpayers.

By recognizing outdoor recreation and sports tourism as an economic development tool, the plan enhances Hoover’s ability to draw more high-skilled workers and tourists. 

Working Together for the Community and the River

Cahaba River Society has worked to expand our engagement with Hoover staff over the years, and we were delighted at how the Parks and Recreation team led plan development. Since the plan was announced, the Parks and Recreation team has engaged by participating in volunteer sessions. We are also discussing possible future events and ways we can partner to highlight and improve natural areas along the river. We look forward to where this partnership will go.

Please consider familiarizing yourself with the plan and engaging to make your voice heard in public processes. Contact Cahaba River Society or Hoover Parks and Recreation for opportunities to support these efforts and volunteer for the river and the communities that depend on it.