Railroad Park Foundation

Railroad Park is a 19-acre green space in the heart of Birmingham that celebrates the industrial and artistic heritage of our great city. Situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets, the park is a joint effort between the City of Birmingham and the Railroad Park Foundation. Hailed as "Birmingham's Front Lawn," Railroad Park provides a historically rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events, while connecting Birmingham's downtown area with Southside and UAB's campus. During 2023, there were more than 500,000 visitors to the park. Railroad Park has been the catalyst for tremendous change in the physical landscape of Birmingham and in the perception of what Birmingham can be. In 2023, Railroad Park Foundation continued to focus on four primary goal areas: Economic Development, Families and Community, Health and Wellness, and Fortifying the Park and the Environment.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTSHere are some of the ways Railroad Park Foundation promoted the continued growth of our city and supported Economic Development across Birmingham in 2023:*Promoted local, minority businesses with the following programming:- Facilitated Magic City Pop-Up Plaza sponsored by Hope Credit Union once a month from April through September, showcasing more than 50 local merchants and food vendors.- Partnered with UAB to host the Live HealthSmart Mobile Market every Wednesday evening, April through July. The Mobile Market offers fresh & affordable produce & pantry items, providing access to healthy food.- Hosted Michael's @ The Boxcar, open seasonally (April-October), which provided delicious lunch options including healthy salads, chicken salad sandwiches and more.*Welcomed more than 500,000 visitors in 2023.*Ongoing development projects and the continued renovation & development of multi-family and commercial space added to more than 40 new developments and business openings since 2010.FAMILIES & COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTSRailroad Park Foundation provided dynamic, diverse programs to enhance Families & Community, including the continuation of community partnerships to provide free programming to Birmingham residents throughout the year:*Hosted hundreds of families for the FREE UAB Callahan presents 4th of July Family Festival, which featured live music, food vendors, & children's activities leading into the annual fireworks display from Vulcan Park & Museum.*More than 90 client events were hosted at Railroad Park in 2023, which included everything from FREE movies in June to the annual American Heart Association's Heart Walk. Railroad Park also hosted many birthday parties & weddings. *In partnership with the City, provided 19 acres of greenspace for families and individuals to enjoy quality time together and engage with nature.*Celebrated the 4th annual Protective presents Picnic at Railroad Park:- FREE event celebrated Birmingham's community; programming highlighted our City's abundant talent by spotlighting entertainers, artists, small businesses & food vendors representing many of Birmingham's 99 neighborhoods.- Featured more than 40 Birmingham-based small businesses, 98% of which were minority-owned. Vendors generated more than $13,000 in taxable sales for the City of Birmingham and provided business license income. - Officers from 45 neighborhoods were officially represented on the day of the event, which included a special celebration in honor of our 99 Neighborhood Associations' officers.- Raised nearly $120,000 in corporate & individual donations, picnic purchases, and vendor fees, which were immediately invested back into Railroad Park.- More than 2,000 people attended this FREE community event.HEALTH & WELLNESS HIGHLIGHTSHere are some of the ways Railroad Park Foundation promoted Health & Wellness for our entire community in 2023 through Get Healthy on the Railroad sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama: *Offered FREE weeknight Get Healthy on the Railroad Exercise Classes for a 13th season, reaching 6,165 participants. This program has served nearly 70,000 participants since its inception in 2011. *Added new exercises classes: Kickboxing, Line Dancing, and a second weekly Senior Fit class thanks to the support of the Jefferson County Commission.*Hosted the popular Get Healthy on the Railroad Cooking Classes for an 8th year, providing more than 300 participants free produce & a recipe card to replicate healthy cooking at home.*Presented our 4th annual Senior Fit Health Fair, which provided more than 75 attendees with free exercise class demonstrations, healthy refreshments, and valuable health resources and information provided by a variety of local health organizations.*Self-Guided Walking Workout exercise stations along 1st Avenue South continued to inspire an average of 10,000 weekly Park visitors and included English & Spanish translations of the workouts.FORTIFYING THE PARK & THE ENVIRONMENT Railroad Park Foundation worked tirelessly to Fortify the Park and the Environment, providing a world-class greenspace for more than 500,000 visitors:*Offered 19 acres for natural exploration - with ponds, streams and 100,000+ plants & trees that serve as natural habitats for wildlife and also provide environmental benefits for the surrounding area. More than 116 different species of birds have been observed inside Railroad Park as well as hundreds of other sensitive wildlife, including turtles, dragonflies & pollinator bees.*Maintained three miles of Railroad Park walking trails, which provide a great walking, running and biking experience for thousands of Railroad Park visitors each week.*Sustained water features and other amenities to reduce erosion and absorb stormwater to prevent flooding in the Parkside area and improve water quality in the Valley Creek watershed. *Conserved & grew Birmingham's biodiversity by fortifying & augmenting the abundant ecosystem Railroad Park has grown in the heart of Birmingham. *Supported emotional, mental, and physical health & well-being for Birmingham residents by cleaning and cooling the air in the heart of Birmingham. Time spent in greenspaces is proven to promote general fitness, reduce stress, and boost mental health. RRP is proud to offer a place of respite for anyone who needs it, including our most underserved residents who don't have access to abundant greenspace.*Served as Birmingham's "Front Lawn" - many City of Birmingham residents drive from their home or take the Birmingham Xpress (Bus Rapid Transit) to enjoy the benefits of Railroad Park's 19 acres of outdoor greenspace on a daily or weekly basis.