# City of Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board Meeting on October 6, 2026

The City of Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board met on October 6, 2026, to review park improvement designs and funding opportunities. The board unanimously approved the first playground concept for Crestview Park, including a sandbox and the presented color scheme, and referred it to the City Commission for final consideration. After presentations by OHM and Ventura representatives, the board also approved referring the proposed Phase 1 plans for St. James and Kenning parks to the City Commission. It directed staff to prioritize access to Building 400 at St. James and to explore whether the budget could support more extensive poured-in-place surfacing. No construction contract awards or bid approvals were reported.

The board discussed a National Fitness Campaign grant opportunity, including potential outdoor fitness and studio options. Staff reported estimated costs of $185,000 for a fitness court alone and $220,000 for a combined court and studio, with grants generally ranging from $30,000 to $60,000; a $300,000 budget figure was also presented for the studio option, with funding planned beginning in FY 2027–28 and additional funds potentially needed beyond the grant. Barnum Park was identified as the strongest candidate site under the campaign’s criteria. The board supported recommending that the City Commission back a grant application, while noting that public input should inform final decisions about the site and use of funds. No vendor selection or grant award was made at this meeting.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 06, 2026

### Sources
- [City of Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board Meeting on October 6, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5imiqZE27Lk) - Bloomfield Community Television