On this day in Alabama history: Ground broken on Birmingham’s Railroad Park

Hosting innovation summits for two major industries in the same week reflects Birmingham's growing profile as a technology hub. (Getty Images)
October 6, 2006
Ground was broken Oct. 6, 2006, on what would become Birmingham’s Railroad Park. The idea of creating a park centered on the city’s railroad reservation dates back to the 1970s. The proposal gained steam in 2001 when the Friends of the Railroad District formed to promote revitalization along the railroad corridor and to raise funds for the park. Design work began in 2005 ahead of the groundbreaking. Construction was delayed until 2008 for site work and as more funding was secured for the 17-acre park. The first phase of the park opened in September 2010. Today, Railroad Park includes a small lake, ponds, amphitheater, gardens, playgrounds, trails, skateboarding area and more. In 2012, the park won the “Urban Open Space Award” from the Urban Land Institute.
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For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.