Railroad Park Foundation

RAILROAD PARK INSPIRES ENERGY, REVITALIZATION AND A SENSE OF PLACE IN BIRMINGHAM BY STIMULATING CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ACTIVITY WITHIN AND AROUND THE PARK.

RAILROAD PARK IS A 19 ACRE GREEN SPACE IN DOWNTOWN 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 LIVING ROOM," 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 2021, THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 580,000 VISITORS TO THE PARK. RAILROAD PARK HAS BEEN THE CATALYST FOR TREMENDOUS CHANGE NOT ONLY IN THE PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE OF BIRMINGHAM, BUT ALSO IN THE PERCEPTION OF WHAT BIRMINGHAM CAN BE. IN 2021, RAILROAD PARK FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON FOUR PRIMARY GOAL AREAS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND MAINTANING AND PRESERVING THE PARK.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTSSUPPORTED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN BUSINESSES AND TALENT IN 2021:* WELCOMED MORE THAN 580,000 VISITORS IN 2021* VISITOR TRAFFIC INCREASED 3% FROM 2020, EVEN THOUGH ALMOST NO ON-SITE EVENTS WERE HOSTED AT THE PARK FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR* ADDITIONALLY, MORE THAN 20,000 PEOPLE ENGAGED WITH VIRTUAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMS: PROGRAMS REMAINED ONLINE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19, EXPANDING THE REACH OF THE PARK (INCLUDING OUT-OF-STATE PARTICIPANTS) AND ELEVATING THE VISIBILITY OF BIRMINGHAM* GARNERED LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS RECOGNITION, INCLUDING COND NAST TRAVELER'S "THE 22 BEST PLACES TO GO IN 2022." * ONGOING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND THE CONTINUED RENOVATION & DEVELOPMENT OF MULTI-FAMILY AND COMMERCIAL SPACE ADDED TO THE 40+ TOTAL NEW DEVELOPMENTS SINCE 2010.FAMILY & COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTSRAILROAD PARK FOUNDATION PROVIDED DYNAMIC, DIVERSE PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE FAMILIES & COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE CONTINUATION OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO PROVIDE FREE ONLINE PROGRAMMING TO BIRMINGHAM RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT 2021:* FINANCIAL FORUMS ON THE RAILROAD PRESENTED BY BBVA: MORE THAN 70 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED FREE, VIRTUAL FINANCIAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS SUCH AS PERSONAL FINANCE & RETIREMENT, HOME MORTGAGE INFORMATION, AND SMALL BUSINESS GUIDANCE.* RETURNED TO HOSTING CLIENT EVENTS IN AUGUST, WHICH INCLUDED EVERYTHING FROM FREE SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES TO THE ANNUAL ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION'S JINGLE BELL RUN FUNDRAISER. RAILROAD PARK ALSO HOSTED PART OF THE CITY'S "SUMMER SAFE SERIES AND MULTIPLE UAB PRIVATE EVENTS.* CELEBRATED 2ND ANNUAL PROTECTIVE PRESENTS PICNIC WITH RAILROAD PARK, BUT THIS TIME IN-PERSON: - FREE EVENT CELEBRATED BIRMINGHAM'S COMMUNITY & HIGHLIGHTED OUR CITY'S ABUNDANT TALENT BY INCLUDING MORE THAN 100 ENTERTAINERS, ARTISTS, SMALL BUSINESSES & FOOD VENDORS REPRESENTING MANY OF BIRMINGHAM'S 99 NEIGHBORHOODS - FEATURED MORE THAN 35 BIRMINGHAM SMALL BUSINESSES & GENERATED MORE THAN $20,000 IN TAXABLE SALES FOR THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, PLUS BUSINESS LICENSE INCOME - MORE THAN 34 NEIGHBORHOODS WERE OFFICIALLY REPRESENTED ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT, WHICH INCLUDED A SPECIAL CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF OUR CITY'S 99 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OFFICERS* IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, PROVIDED 19 ACRES OF GREENSPACE FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO ENJOY QUALITY TIME TOGETHER AND ENGAGE WITH NATURE.* CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS & PICNIC PURCHASES WERE IMMEDIATELY INVESTED BACK INTO RAILROAD PARK FOUNDATION* RAISED MORE THAN $140,000 IN CORPORATE & INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS, PICNIC PURCHASES AND VENDOR FEES.HEALTH & WELLNESS HIGHLIGHTSHERE ARE SOME OF THE WAYS RAILROAD PARK FOUNDATION PROVIDED DYNAMIC HEALTH AND FITNESS PROGRAMMING FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN 2021:* EXPANDED MODIFICATIONS TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH & SAFETY WHILE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE FREE PROGRAMMING * GET HEALTHY ON THE RAILROAD SPONSORED BY BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF ALABAMA * RETURNED TO IN-PERSON EXERCISE CLASSES IN JULY 2021: 1,400+ PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED FREE GET HEALTHY CLASSES* CONTINUED FREE VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING: EXERCISE VIDEOS, COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS, & HEALTHY RECIPES, AS WELL AS THE CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH CHEWS WISELY ALABAMA TO SHARE HEALTHY FOOD INFOGRAPHICS VIA NEWSLETTERS & SOCIAL MEDIA. GARNERED SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT OF MORE THAN 12,650 VIEWS, 130,700 IMPRESSIONS AND 2,100+ ENGAGEMENTS ACROSS CHANNELS* SELF-GUIDED WALKING WORKOUT EXERCISE STATIONS ALONG 1ST AVENUE SOUTH CONTINUED TO INSPIRE AN AVERAGE OF 10,000 WEEKLY PARK VISITORS* HOSTED THE RETURN OF THE POPULAR GET HEALTHY ON THE RAILROAD COOKING CLASSES FOR A SIXTH YEAR, PROVIDING MORE THAN 100 PARTICIPANTS FREE PRODUCE & A RECIPE CARD TO REPLICATE HEALTHY COOKING AT HOME. THREE COOKING CLASS VIDEOS & TWO IN-PERSON DEMOS REACHED MORE THAN 2,700 PEOPLE.MAINTAIN & PRESERVE THE PARKRAILROAD PARK FOUNDATION CONTINUED EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN & PRESERVE THE PARK AND PROVIDE A WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENT:* UPDATED LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE PARK - COORDINATED WITH ALABAMA POWER TO REPLACE STREET LIGHTS WITH LED LIGHTING. * 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. 93 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BIRDS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN THE PARK AS OF AUGUST, 2021.* SERVED AS A SANCTUARY DURING COVID-19 - VISITORS CONTINUED TO BENEFIT FROM THE 19-ACRES OF OUTDOOR GREENSPACE.* 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.* OVERSIGHT OF LANDSCAPING AND DAILY MAINTENANCE TO UPKEEP HEAVILY USED LAWNS, GARDENS, WATER FEATURES AND PLAY AREAS.* SUPPORTED EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, AND PHYSICAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING FOR 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 THOSE WITH LOVED ONES RECEIVING CARE AT NEARBY HOSPITALS AND FAMILIES STAYING AT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE.

DURING 2021, THE FOUNDATION INCURRED CERTAIN EXPENSES IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. COVID-19 EXPENSES TOTALING $5,610 CONSIST PRIMARILY OF AMOUNTS DESIGNED TO KEEP THE PARK OPERATIONAL AND SAFE FOR PARK VISITORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021.