A Little Fish Saves a Big Sports Complex in Alabama Nature's Infrastructure
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- Government
This month, we are chatting with Rick Hopkins, the director of Springville, Alabama’s Parks and Recreation Department, and Coach James Miller, who leads tackle football, flag football and baseball at Springville’s 70-acre sports complex, to discover how a little fish in the Little Canoe Creek helped create safer recreational access for youth sports teams and improve the quality of life for an entire community.
“What I can’t stress enough is, there are real people who enjoy the benefits of this Federal money. There are real kids out here. There are real moms. When this project is done, there’s going to be moms walking around this walking track that are going to enjoy the beauty of nature, and stop by and read these plaques talking about the trispot darter…” – Rick Hopkins
Since 2022, the Service has awarded over $143 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for 122 fish passage projects in 40 states and Puerto Rico. Across the nation, when completed, these 122 projects will address the challenges associated with over 340 barriers, reopen over 12,000 stream miles and reconnect nearly 925,000 acres of aquatic habitat.
This month, we are chatting with Rick Hopkins, the director of Springville, Alabama’s Parks and Recreation Department, and Coach James Miller, who leads tackle football, flag football and baseball at Springville’s 70-acre sports complex, to discover how a little fish in the Little Canoe Creek helped create safer recreational access for youth sports teams and improve the quality of life for an entire community.
“What I can’t stress enough is, there are real people who enjoy the benefits of this Federal money. There are real kids out here. There are real moms. When this project is done, there’s going to be moms walking around this walking track that are going to enjoy the beauty of nature, and stop by and read these plaques talking about the trispot darter…” – Rick Hopkins
Since 2022, the Service has awarded over $143 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for 122 fish passage projects in 40 states and Puerto Rico. Across the nation, when completed, these 122 projects will address the challenges associated with over 340 barriers, reopen over 12,000 stream miles and reconnect nearly 925,000 acres of aquatic habitat.