By: Carla Davis
With spring in full swing and summer on the way, Alabama Power’s public recreation sites on its lakes are becoming busier every day, filling up with people who are more than ready to get out of the house and begin enjoying the water and the sunshine.
An accessible picnic area at one of The Preserves sites. Alabama Power is adding more recreational amenities that everyone can use. (contributed)
These 74 sites, known collectively as The Preserves, offer Alabamians the perfect place to take part in outdoor recreational activities such as fishing, boating, hiking, biking, swimming and picnicking. At several of the lakes, visitors can also trek along nature trails, where they can get an up-close look at many of Alabama’s native plant and animal species.
Whether they are boat ramps, day-use parks, fishing piers, playgrounds or hiking trails, these sites are free and open to everyone.
“We want all citizens to enjoy our lakes and have access to them,” said Alabama Power Land Supervisor Josh Yerby. “When many of these sites were built decades ago, accessibility and inclusion were not on the forefront of people’s minds. But in an effort to make our facilities accessible to all groups, we have been working hard to improve accessibility by upgrading our existing facilities.”
Alabama Power has upgraded or added accommodations at many of its lakeside sites, ensuring that they are accessible to people with physical disabilities. That means these amenities comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, which guarantee that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else, including easy access to parks and other public facilities.
Many ADA-compliant amenities have been installed, including accessible parking spaces and restrooms. Paths and trails with handrails and gentle slopes make it easy to navigate to grills, piers, boat docks, park playgrounds and other amenities.
The company continues to look for ways to make its recreation sites accessible. Last fall, a section of the nature trail at Ten Islands Park on H. Neely Henry Lake was redesigned with a slope that is easier to navigate by people in wheelchairs or who use walkers, canes or other aids. Similar upgrades are planned this year for the trail at Beeswax Park at Lay Lake.
“The paths at many of these facilities have drastic elevation changes,” Yerby said. “Our goal is to redesign them into relatively flat areas so they are easier to use.”
Alabama Power also offers accessible hunting sites for people with disabilities on three of its lakes, including the Lewis Smith Management Area in Walker County, R.L. Harris Management Area in Randolph County and Jordan Management Area in Elmore County. These areas are part of Alabama’s Hunting and Fishing Trail for People with Physical Disabilities, a network of public and private sites across the state that provide physically disabled people with fishing, shooting and hunting opportunities. The trail was developed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, in partnership with Alabama Power and others.
Alabama Power provides the resources, including wheelchair-accessible shooting houses, for ADCNR to make these areas ADA-compliant. Additionally, Alabama Power takes reservations for these shooting houses, and helps maintain wildlife openings to provide forage and habitat for both game and nongame wildlife. Learn more here.
Paige Ray uses an accessible hunting facility near Alabama Power’s Jordan Lake. (Ted Tucker)
“These Alabama Power properties give ADCNR the ability to provide hunting opportunities specifically to hunters with physical challenges, including some with unique needs,” said ADCNR Conservation Education Coordinator Marianne Gauldin. “These areas allow those with physical differences to continue to take part in an enjoyable pastime and put food on the family table. ADCNR appreciates each and every opportunity afforded to a hunter and is thankful that Alabama Power makes accessibility a priority for Alabama hunters.”
Yerby said Alabama Power is proud to play a role in offering recreational and sporting opportunities to physically disabled people.
“Providing accessible amenities at our recreation sites aligns with our mission to provide high-quality outdoor opportunities that are open and inclusive to all stakeholders,” he said.
For more information about Alabama Power’s public recreation sites, visit apcpreserves.com. Click here to learn more about accessible hunting and fishing areas in Alabama for physically disabled sports enthusiasts.
