Delano Park facts for kids
The Delano Park is the oldest park in Decatur, Alabama. It's managed by the Decatur Parks and Recreation Board.
It was created in 1887. This happened as part of a big plan to rebuild New Decatur, which is now part of Decatur. The city formed a company called the "Decatur Land Improvement and Furnace Company". They hired a landscape architect named Nathan Franklin Barrett. He designed a whole new city. The city had faced tough times after a yellow fever outbreak and the Civil War. The park was meant to be the main focus of this new city design.
The park was named after President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He dedicated the park in the 1930s. A newspaper contest later named it in his honor. This was to celebrate his ideas for city parks across America. The land was given to the city as part of the New Deal. This was a big plan to help develop the city during a time of poverty.
For many years, Delano Park was the only large park in town. It was a popular spot on the edge of downtown. This changed in the mid-1950s. That's when the new Decatur High School was built. It replaced an older, crowded school building.
The far eastern part of the park once had a swimming pool. It was called the "Blue Haven." This pool has since been filled in. Now, the Decatur High marching band uses a practice field there.
The middle part of the park has a children's playground. It also has the new "Splash Pad." There's also a ditch with a concrete bridge. This bridge was moved in the 1930s from Ferry Street. It was placed there to make the park even more beautiful. It has been a favorite spot for everyone ever since.
Splash Pad: Fun in the Water!
The "Splash Pad" was built as part of a big plan. This plan aimed to make all of Delano Park better. It was installed in 2006. It first opened for use in the summer of that year.
The Splash Pad has many jets and sprayers. These shoot water from both the walls and the floor. The floor itself is a giant map of Alabama. It shows the main rivers and largest cities in the state. These include Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Mobile, and Decatur.
Delano Park: Getting Even Better!
There are exciting plans to add more attractions to the park. A group called "Friends of Delano" is leading this effort. They want to add historical trails and new gardens. They also aim to improve safety. Another goal is to connect the western part of the park with the middle part. So far, they have the funding. The new attractions are now in the planning stages.
The historic "Delano Rose Garden" was rebuilt between 2005 and 2006. It was made to look exactly like the original rose garden. That garden was part of the first Delano Park design. The garden had been gone for many decades. But it was finally brought back as part of the park's revitalization.
Connecting the western and middle parts of the park is very important. 6th Avenue (US 31) cuts the park in two. This means the western part doesn't get as much attention. A historical trail has been built to help with this. It starts in the eastern part. It goes through the middle part. Then it connects with the western part. This trail aims to bring more people to walk through the entire park. It also helps people cross 6th Avenue more safely. This is one of the busiest streets in the city.
