Friends of Avondale Park
« Rooted in CommunityThe Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is pleased to announce the launch of our inaugural Rooted in Community awards program. We would like to partner with organizations that want to serve and benefit their local communities through grassroots projects.
Rooted in Community serves as a platform for participants to actively contribute to enhancing their local areas and beautifying the communities where they live and work. Hear from our pilot participants below!
By Sebastian Ortiz Munoz
The Friends of Avondale Park, a community-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing one of Birmingham’s oldest green spaces, has completed a beautification project at the Avondale Library using a $500 gift from the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Rooted in Community program.
John Fordney, president of the Friends of Avondale Park, said the initiative was part of ongoing efforts to maintain and improve the almost 40-acre park. “We always want to do what we can to help the library,” Fordney said. “The library and park are key anchors for the neighborhood.”
The project involved a collaborative effort from various community members to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the parking lot turnaround in front of Avondale Library by incorporating various flower plantings and constructing a curb. Friends of Avondale Park board member and local contractor Patrick Mcguire donated cobblestones left over from another project. Volunteers dug trenches, mixed concrete, and worked alongside skilled masons to set the cobbles in place. The City of Birmingham also donated soil, mulch, and various plants.
The Avondale Library, part of the Jefferson County Public Library system, has faced challenges due to limited resources and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fordney hopes the beautification project will boost the library’s visibility and provide a more welcoming environment. “We want the library to feel vibrant, not like it’s in decline,” he said. “It’s a way to show we care.” This initiative enhances the space and fosters community and pride among the residents.
Friends of Avondale Park, established in 1988, is one of many civic organizations partnering with the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens to improve local green spaces. The group also manages the Avondale Rose Garden, which was revitalized in 2014. Volunteers continue to maintain the garden, benefiting from Alabama’s Extension Master Gardener program.
Make Your Vision A Reality
The Rooted in Community program is designed to help interested community groups take practical steps toward
improving and beautifying public spaces. Participants receive a $500 monetary award that may be used to kick-start a new project or to supplement an ongoing project. Our goal is to encourage community involvement in projects that enhance our neighborhoods, help foster connections within our community, and contribute to civic pride.