Tag Archives: Lover's Leap

Hoover’s Historic + Cultural Spaces

Here is a concrete example of how the Birmingham Historical Society contributes to the quality of life in Birmingham based on the goals listed below. Trustee Birgit Kibelka and Director Marjorie White worked with the City of Hoover planning team to include historic sites in their comprehensive Park & Public Spaces Plan 2023, bringing multiple sites to their attention with well-documented research, part of which was used on pages 44-47 of the Master Plan. (For the entire Parks Public Spaces + Recreation Plan, see the link below) Thank you Birgit & Marjorie for your dedication and input!

  • Preservation of History
  • Education & Awareness
  • Research & Documentation
  • Community Engagement
  • Tourism & Economic Development

Hoover Parks Public Spaces + Recreation Plan

Do you know the history of Bluff Park?

The popularity of beautiful Bluff Park was definitely affirmed at the extremely well-attended presentation by Birmingham Historical Society Director Marjorie White and landscape architect & BHS Trustee Birgit Kibelka on September 19 entitled Bluff Park: Then & Now, hosted by the Hoover Historical Society. Hoover had a series of town halls this past spring to determine the community’s interest in greenways, trails, parks, and public spaces. As a follow-up to those town halls, this event delved further into the history and possibilities of a Bluff Park Preserve with maps, photos of rock formations and existing springs, views, and historical correspondence.

Friends of Shades Mountain (FOSM), working with the Hoover Historical Society, and Birmingham Historical Society are promoting the creation of the Bluff Park Preserve on Shades Mountain. As the City of Hoover explores possibilities for future parks and preserves, the opportunity to save the last remaining publicly accessible viewpoint along Shades Mountain presents itself. The proposed future Bluff Park Preserve might include the original “Bluff Park,” Lover’s Leap-Sunset Rock, and the site of Tip-Top Grill. Please read this BHS newsletter for additional information.

Town Hall Meetings for Hoover Parks’ Planning are THIS WEEK

Want some input into the future of Hoover’s Greenways and Blueways? Do you love Lover’s Leap and Tip Top Grill? The town hall meetings are THIS WEEK! See schedule below and read the article in the Hoover Sun:

Monday, May 8: Shades Crest Baptist Church

Tuesday, May 9: Spain Park High School Library

Thursday, May 11: Finley Center at Hoover Metropolitan Complex

Tuesday, May 16: Virtual town hall meeting at futurehoover.com

Each meeting will be from 5 to 7 p.m. The in-person meetings will be set up as a walk-through interactive exhibit, with displays giving information about the various parts of the plan and opportunities to provide feedback on the displays.

Representatives from the city will be on site as well to answer questions, talk about the plan and have conversations with people about what they would like to see regarding the focus topics, said Mindy Wyatt, a strategic analyst for the city who is serving as the project manager for the plan.


Friends of Shades Mountain (FOSM), working with the Hoover Historical Society, are promoting the creation of a Bluff Park Preserve on Shades Mountain.