Alabaster nature lovers met Tuesday night to discuss building a 1.5-mile walking trail that would connect two city parks.

The Friends of Buck Creek Trail formed last year under the direction of Mayor David Frings. The group&8217;s goal is to cleanup the creek and build a walking trail that would wind along the water&8217;s edge from Warrior Park to Buck Creek Park.

Parks and Recreation Director Larry Vann, Jr. said connecting the two parks makes perfect sense because the city already owns the &8220;green belt&8221; in between. &8220;For the city to own this property and not develop some way for citizens to enjoy it would be a shame,&8221; said Vann. &8220;It&8217;s a lot bigger than just a walking trail. It&8217;s a tremendous opportunity.&8221;

Vann estimated the initial cost for a trail would be less than $25,000. The majority of that money would pay for footbridges along the route. The park board expects volunteers to do all of the clean-up work for free.

&8220;This will be paid through good old sweat equity, and that&8217;s the way to do it,&8221; said Vann. &8220;It will be a way for residents to invest in the community. What can&8217;t be good about that?&8221;

Program Coordinator Ricky Nance said several people have expressed interested in helping with the plan. &8220;The concept is simple,&8221; Nance said. &8220;Give residents the opportunity to enhance the city&8217;s livability and quality of life.&8221;

No timeline has been set for the project, and completion will likely depend on the level of community involvement, but park staff members are optimistic. &8220;If you get 15-20 people on a weekend, you can do some damage very quickly,&8221; said Nance