Pavilion added to Cahaba River Park plans

Mountain Brook’s new gateway to the Cahaba River will now feature a picnic pavilion in its first phase.

The City Council approved the pavilion addition while taking away plans for water connection at the 4.7-acre Cahaba River Park at its Oct. 13 meeting. The net cost adds $23,239.97 to the $450,000 initially budgeted.

The pavilion will overlook the river and feature stone columns and a wood shingle roof. The space will be able to be used for birthday parties and other events once it opens in January or February 2015.

Landscape architect Nimrod Long said the remainder of park amenities planned for this phase, which are now under construction at the intersection of Overton Road and River Run Drive, should be complete by December. 

These include a parking area for 20 cars, a loop walkway and a walkway down to a natural stone beach on the river. An additional nature path similar to ones on Jemison Trail will be added as an Eagle Scout project in the next few months.

In addition, native plants will be placed in disturbed areas to create a bioswale to filter water that flows from the parking lot to the river. 

The final feature of this phase is a trail that will go under the bridge as a part of what Long hopes will one day be a 2-mile trail to the Carraway-Davie House and Conference Center, which was recently purchased by Cahaba Park Church.

Also related to the park, the city is currently working with Skipper Consulting to determine the best way to improve pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Overton Road and Oakdale Drive/River Run Drive. 

At the Oct. 13 council meeting, a study was approved to examine pedestrian traffic as well as how to slow down traffic at the intersection. Jefferson County, which maintains the intersection as well as Oakdale Drive and River Run Drive at Vestavia-Mountain Brook city limits, had previously suggested adding pedestrian crossings across all four crossings at the intersections and reshaping the curve at River Run and Overton Road.