GARDEN CITY, Ala. – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, representatives from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and other local leaders gathered for a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the Garden City Fire Department’s new fire station Wednesday, July 24, to officially unveil improvements at Garden City River Park.
The renovations were funded through a court settlement reached by the State and Tyson Foods after an illegal wastewater discharge at the company’s facility in Hanceville in 2019 and subsequent fish kill on the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River in Hanceville. (See https://www.cullmantribune.com/2019/06/11/feature-river-residents-sound-off-about-tysons-mulberry-fork-spill-fish-kill)
As part of the settlement of the lawsuit, the State created a Restitution Fund Oversight Committee to evaluate and oversee projects designed to enhance the state’s natural resources, increase recreational opportunities and benefit the environment and public health in communities impacted by the wastewater discharge.
ADCNR’s Poolos served as chairman of this committee, which selected the project at Garden City River Park.
The event also highlighted the construction of a new fire station in Garden City, which was partially funded with restitution funds.
ADCNR Deputy Commissioner Edward Poolos
“The Garden City River Park project had a lot of different aspects. They installed new restroom facilities at the park, added a hiking trail around the park, had a kayak launch, new parking and new pavement. But the main issue you noticed if you’ve been to the park before this project was the erosion of that stream bank and what we were seeing was that you wouldn’t have a park there in a few years because of the river. So, doing the stream bank stabilization was a game changer there.
“In my job I get to deal with a lot of local elected officials and they’re passionate about their communities, but no one is more passionate about their community than Mayor (Tim) Eskew. Neither one of these projects would have occurred without his passion for this community.”
ADCNR Commissioner Christopher Blankenship
“This type of project and the ones that follow are examples of connecting citizens with the rivers, creeks and streams of our state. Fishing, boating, tourism, history and quality of life are all improved by great partnerships like what’s happened here in Garden City. The deputy commissioner and I so enjoy working together with folks like y’all in Garden City to accomplish something of significance and we look forward to opportunities to continue to do that.”
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall
“The desire for us was to be able to get the money through that settlement and drive it back into this community. That was the vision we had and when I called the commission the first time to share that with them, they said ‘Let’s get it done.’ The AG’s Office took no money from that settlement, the department took no money from that settlement, the State of Alabama took no direct proceeds of that, this money has all been driven into the area that was most impacted by what took place. So, I’m really excited to see what you’ve been able to do.”
Statement from Sen. Garlan Gudger
“First of all, I wish I could be with you today in person, but I understand how much the new improvement at the park and at the fire station mean to the people of Garden City and all of Cullman County. I understand the impact that the wastewater spill had on the river and the people of the city but when I see the new amenities at the park and know the new fire station is operational, I am so encouraged by the good that has come from this situation. I thank the attorney general and everyone on the committee for working to make these improvements here in Garden City a reality. I am so proud of everyone who played a role in these projects. I want to thank Attorney General Steve Marshall and the members of the committee, community member and businessman in Cullman County Rob Werner, community leader in Cullman County and past legislator James Fields, past legislator and community leader in Walker County Connie Rowe and our leader, ADCNR Deputy Commissioner Ed Poolos. I appreciate how much time and energy they put into these projects. The committee’s mission is to select projects to enhance the state’s natural resources, increase recreational opportunities and benefit the environment and public health. I can honestly say these projects in Garden City accomplished all three of these. The citizens of Cullman County, my friends and neighbors, can now use the river for swimming, fishing, kayaking and other outdoor activities much more easily. This place will always be sacred to me because my immediate family all were baptized in the middle of the river at that exact launch, my two boys, my wife and I in 2022. It is more than recreation here at this spot on the river, it’s a spiritual one for me. Back in 2022 when we announced the planned improvements at the park along the river, plus the new improvements to the fire station, it seemed like a dream. I want to thank everyone involved in making this dream a reality. I know everyone in Garden City and Cullman County feels the same way.”
Former state legislator James Fields
“We need to be thankful that we have an attorney general that has a heart for small communities and for building small communities up and keeping them vibrant. Garden City has always been a place that grabs your heart, going all the way back to its beginnings, and we are thankful that we were able to play a special role in that process of helping with this project.”
Garden City Mayor Tim Eskew
“I’d like to thank the citizens of Garden City for making this possible, I’d like to thank the attorney general and the committee for figuring out how to make these funds available to enhance the community.”
Garden City Fire Chief Zach Thomas
“This is a huge, huge improvement for this fire department in Garden City. When I took this position in 2022, we were in a very small station, and we were running out of room and now we have this. So again, I just want to say thank you to Attorney General Marshall, Commissioner Poolos, the City Council, the Mayor, the street department, everybody. This has been a long process but it’s finally happening, and I sure do appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.”
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