Friends of Charles Linn Park

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The Friends of Charles Linn Park is a non-profit organization established to support the maintenance and improvement of Birmingham's Linn Park. It was originally founded in 1982 as the Friends of Woodrow Wilson Park to raise funds for a major public/private renovation of what was then called Woodrow Wilson Park.

The Friends group was incorporated on February 4, 1983 by Michael Calvert of Operation New Birmingham, landscape architect Nimrod Long, Southern Progress editor-at-large Philip Morris, attorney Ralph Smith and civic booster Temple Tutwiler III. Other members included O. Z. Hall.

Long prepared a preliminary design for a renovation projected to cost $1.0 to $1.4 million which was presented to the Birmingham City Council on June 28, 1983. The plan included broad paved avenues, set below the grade of the adjacent planted areas, leading to a central plaza with a fountain, a stage, and a food service building. The group pledged to raise $250,000 toward the project.

In a follow-up presentation on June 12, 1984 the Friends noted that virtually all of the park's trees would be preserved, but that its 54 utility poles would be removed and replaced with underground conduits. They announced that the proposed food service building had been awarded a $7,500 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. They also introduced the idea of renaming the park for pioneer banker Charles Linn.

In 1985 the Friends reported on the results of a questionnaire distributed to business owners and the public. The results of the survey largely confirmed their priorities, though more respondents expressed concern for public safety than had been anticipated. No consensus was obtained on the questioning of abandoning Short 20th Street to extend the park to Birmingham City Hall. Those surveyed favored Dogwoods over other tree species for new plantings.

As it progressed, the project budget increased to $2.5 million and the Friends' fundraising goal increased from $250,000 to $500,000. The Friends coordinated with the City of Birmingham and Jefferson County to apply private funds to specific elements of the park where they judged that awarding contracts through public bidding was not in the best interest of the design intent.

The Friends group was officially renamed in January 1987 to reflect the renaming of the park. The renovated park was rededicated in October of that year.

Since that time, the Friends of Charles Linn Park have participated in various projects to improve and maintain the park, including the 2006 repair and conservation of the Mary Cahalan statue sculpted by Giuseppe Moretti.

References

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