Grand Bay Old Town Park

The fencing of the perimeter oft the Grand Bay Old Town Park has been completed. Thanks to a grant of $10,000 from the Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council (GCRC&D).

                The Grand Bay Old Town Historical Park is a 2 acre woodland area in the center of the Historic District of Grand Bay on Pottertract Road. It is located adjacent to the Grand Bay Library and Historical Museum and Harper Orchard Pecans (Albert Freeland Store c. 1910) and across the street from the old L&S Train Depot platform.

                This central location is perfect for a picnic or walk through the park. In the near future the  Grand Bay Library and local schools will be able to hold outdoor educational activities for children among majestic oaks and magnolias, native plants, camellias and azaleas.  A walking trail through the park with feature plaques along the pathways describing the plants, trees and flowering shrubs.

                The park is being constructed in phases as funds are acquired. To date, the land clearing and tree removal have been completed and the basic layout of the park has been established.

                Although it isn’t finished, you can now walk the grounds and enjoy the camellia’s that will begin to bloom in November and listen to the birds in the trees.

                If you want to participate in the park construction or help with park clean up or volunteer please contact Russell Adams 251-295-3592   russell.adams.c@gmail.com or Kimon Brown 251-591-9445  kimon.brown@gmail.com.

                Business and personal sponsorship of benches and picnic tables are currently available.  Please send donations to PayPal at citizens36541@gmail.com, through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GrandBayPark, or by check to CBGB, P O Box 274, Grand Bay, AL 36541.

                Your donations are tax deductible and will directly help make Grand Bay Old Town Park a resounding success.

We believe it’s important to support our local businesses. Which is why we partnered with Steve’s Tree Service (Steve Borror) to handle more tree clearing we needed done in the park. They cleared out the remaining invasive or dying trees, and also helped prepare the park for a fence around the property border.

They did a great job and were so quick and efficient that we didn’t get many good photos. Stop by the park and walk through to see it in its current state and imagine the near future.

Soon, we’ll be making a post about stump grinding and then the fence we need built. All bids are welcome and encouraged.

Then we’ll need to raise some money for picnic tables, park benches, walkways, lighting, etc. Please let us know if you or your business are interested in sponsoring.

This is a project spearheaded by the nonprofit group Citizens For A Better Grand Bay (CBGB), but is for all Citizens of our area. Volunteers are needed for the park project and for those interested in working with CBGB consistently, please contact our page (we do a lot more than just this park).

By Aleta Boudreaux, President CBGB

Citizens for A Better Grand Bay is proud to announce that the Grand Bay Old Town Historical Park has received a reimbursement grant of $10,000 from the Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council (GCRC&D) for groundwork and landscaping for walkways and trails.

The Grand Bay Old Town Historical Park is a 2 acre woodland area in the center of the Historic District of Grand Bay on Pottertract Road. It is located adjacent to the Grand Bay Library and Historical Museum and Harper Orchard Pecans (Albert Freeland Store c. 1910) and across the street from the old L&S Train Depot platform.

                This central location is perfect for a picnic or walk through the park. In the near future the  Grand Bay Library and local schools will be able to hold outdoor educational activities for children among majestic oaks and magnolias, native plants, camellias and azaleas.  A walking trail through the park with feature plaques along the pathways describing the plants, trees and flowering shrubs.

                The park is being constructed in phases as funds are acquired. To date, the land clearing and tree removal have been completed and the basic layout of the park has been established.

                Although it isn’t finished, you can now walk the grounds and enjoy the camellia’s that will begin to bloom in November and listen to the birds in the trees.

                If you want to participate in the park construction or help with park clean up or volunteer please contact Russell Adams 251-295-3592   russell.adams.c@gmail.com or Kimon Brown 251-591-9445  kimon.brown@gmail.com.

                Business and personal sponsorship of benches and picnic tables are currently available.  Please send donations to PayPal at citizens36541@gmail.com, through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GrandBayPark, or by check to CBGB, P O Box 274, Grand Bay, AL 36541.

                Your donations are tax deductible and will directly help make Grand Bay Old Town Park a resounding success.

Work continues on the Old Town Park in the Historic District of Grand Bay by the local non-profit organization, Citizens For A Better Grand Bay. With the assistance of a grant of $8,690 from the Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D), Citizens For A Better Grand Bay (CBGB) cleared undergrowth, cleaned up decades of debris and removed damaged trees and non- native plants from the grounds.

A recent grant of $20,000 from the Daniel Foundation of Alabama will be used for design work for the park and start the fencing of the property and creation of walkways. Both the Gulf Coast RC&D and the Daniel Foundation of Alabama were supporters and grant makers for the Grand Bay Library and Museum.

 Donations are still needed to fund design work, fencing installation, trail creating, park bench and table installation, and many other items required to make the park ready for the community’s enjoyment. The Old Town Park is approximately 2 acres and is across the street from the old L&S Train Depot platform and adjacent to the new Grand Bay Library and Harper Orchard’s Pecans on Potter Tract Road.

May 16, 2022, was the first event at the Park, a BBQ Fundraiser which was a great success. Patrons walked the paths, dined on the old fire station platform, and enjoyed a late Spring morning in the Park.

CBGB plans for the park to have interpretive walking trails where visitors can learn about the native plants, view the blooms of the ornamental camellias, and cool off under the shade from the majestic oaks and magnolias, many of them planted in the early 20th century.  

Old Town Park will serve the Grand Bay Library by providing an area to hold outdoor educational activities for children and adults.

Contact CBGB on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GrandBayPark or citizens36541@gmail.com for information on sponsorships.

Future installations for the park include an outdoor classroom area that will also be able to be used for community art shows, plays, live music, weddings, and more. Plaques located along the walking trail will detail information about the local plants and trees, but also offer the ability to showcase community art, during special “Art Walks”, and Grand Bay Library led “Book Walks” to promote learning and literature for children and adults.

Business and personal sponsorship of benches and picnic tables are currently available.  Please send donations to PayPal at citizens36541@gmail.com, through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GrandBayPark, or by check to CBGB, P O Box 274, Grand Bay, AL 36541.

                Your donations are tax deductible and will directly help make Grand Bay Old Town Park a resounding success.

What a great day for a BBQ fundraiser for the Grand Bay Old Town Park. Our first fundraising event there. We raised over $1,000 to use for the Grand Bay Historical Park.

Thanks to all who cooked and served. And those behind the scenes. Chef Kimon Brown , Jessica Etheredge Boudreaux , Julie Goodroe Harper , Russell C Adams, Russ Hardin , Wanda Mcclinton , Skip Smith, Lee McClinton, Bobby Sue Sargent, Aleta Trovaioli Boudreaux

New Park Coming to Grand Bay’s Old Town Historic District 

The citizens of Grand Bay and its visitors will soon have a new park in the Old Town Historic District.  With the assistance of a $5,000 grant from the Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D), Citizens For A Better Grand Bay (CBGB) has purchased and begun work on an approximately 2-acre park in the Old Town Historic District.  Every great town has a signature place that acts as a destination, a community gathering spot, and a catalyst for economic growth.  Old Town Park, centrally located across Potter Tract Road from the old train depot platform, and directly adjacent to the new Grand Bay Library and Harper Orchard’s Pecans, will be Grand Bay’s.  

The park will have walking trails where visitors can learn about the native plants, view the blooms of the ornamental camellias, and cool off under the shade of the majestic oaks and magnolias, many of them planted in the early 20^th century.  The Grand Bay community will enjoy the much-desired picnic tables throughout the property and benches along the trail will provide a beautiful spot for reading in the woodland park right in the middle of town.

Old Town Park will also serve the Grand Bay Library and local schools by providing an area to hold outdoor educational activities for children and adults. Visions for future installations for the park include an outdoor classroom area that will also be able to be used for community art shows, plays, live music, weddings, and more.  A gazebo, planned for the old fire station foundation, will provide an additional covered area for picnics, community gatherings, outdoor markets, celebrations, and private functions.   

Plaques located along the walking trail will detail educational information about the local plants and trees, but also offer the ability to showcase community art, during special “Art Walks”, and Grand Bay Library led “Book Walks” to promote learning and literature for children and adults.  

A fundraising campaign, to be launched at a later date, will offer individuals and businesses in the community a way to contribute to this transformative park for Grand Bay.  You will be able to “BUY A BRICK” that will be engraved with your name, your business name, or the name of a loved one you would like to memorialize.  These engraved bricks will then be used in the various walkways and amenities built in the park.  Sponsorship of Park Benches, Tables, Plaques, and more will also be offered. 

The Citizens for a Better Grand Bay will pursue grants, in addition to fundraisers, to help fund the amenities for the community, but will also welcome donations.  If you feel led to help, donations can be made in many ways:  Please send donations to PayPal at citizens36541@gmail.com, or by check to CBGB, 

P O Box 274, Grand Bay, AL 36541. Your donations are tax deductible and will directly help make Old Town Park a resounding success.  Contact CBGB at Citizens36541@gmail.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GrandBayPark

To keep updated on the progress of this park, please go to www.grandbayoldtownpark.com.  

Mexican Hydrangia and ferns