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LaFayette’s old city park will soon be the site of the new Healing Zone, a small pocket park facilitating healthy habits, organized by LaFayette’s local University of Alabama Neighborhood Initiative group. 

Adrian Holloway, who serves as the Equitable Neighborhood Initiative community liasion, presented the plan for the park during the city council meeting Monday night. The city council approved the motion.

The Equitable Neighborhood Initiative is a partnership between the CDC, the Alabama Department of Public Health and the University of Alabama introduced during the COVID-19 health crisis. 

The program is designed to address healthcare disparities in underserved communities.

According to Holloway, the park will have walking trails, picnic tables, a bike rack and other accessible features for the community. 

“It’s kind of a natural space that promotes physical health, mental wellbeing and things of that nature,” Holloway said.

The healing zone’s design is meant to be environmentally sustainable and low maintenance. The project has been approved for funding of $60,000 from the University of Alabama Neighborhood Initiative program.

Holloway said ENI also plans to install sensory equipment designed for individuals with autism at the healing zone. 

Once signed by the city council, Holloway said that weather permitting, the project will begin in November.