With a walking trail, mural, butterfly garden
and more, community looking better than ever
Story by Paul South
Photos by Richard Rybka
Submitted Photos
Imagine Riverside without its new playground or there was no colorful mural welcoming one and all to town. What if there were no annual community soup supper, Santa’s arrival or Poker Run?
For the 2,251 who call this lakeside town home or the thousands more who visit each year, the allure wouldn’t be quite so inviting; the quality of life so appealing.
That’s why Riverside Beautification Organization is key to Riverside’s everyday life, making it better – brighter.
RBO began as a grassroots effort to beautify the city. Its premise is two-tiered: Organize events, activities and projects to benefit and showcase Riverside. And hold fundraisers to achieve those goals.
More than a garden club, the seeds for RBO were planted in 2008, right after Mayor Rusty Jessup took office.
“I knew there was a need for a good civic group here in town,” Jessup said. He met with several women interested in making Riverside a better place to live.
“I just wanted an organization interested in making Riverside a more beautiful place,” Jessup said. “It took off, and they’ve just done so much for our town.”
The small group of five blossomed into a small, all-volunteer group of women. In its early days, the group focused on planting flowers at city buildings and promoting volunteer recycling.
A stroll or drive down Depot Street these days showcases the RBO’s work – flower beds, a welcome sign, Landing decorations for the holidays, city building signage, a new playground at Riverside Park and walking trails in the park. Jessup could make a list.
The 501 (c) 3 nonprofit has grown into a catalyst for the construction of walking trails at the city park, maintaining the Lotus Pond – home to the native American Lotus only found in three places in St. Clair County – and building sanctuaries for birds – bluebirds, osprey, purple martins and wood ducks.
“When we adopted Lotus Pond, we realized that it would be nice to have walking trails throughout the park,” said Laura Pounders, who serves as RBO president. “With several grants and fundraisers, we’ve just now been able to complete the walking trails that connect the playground area to the ballfield area to the ponds and to the back fishing pond.”
The RBO hopes that one day, the area will be part of the Alabama Birding Trail.
“You know, we’re a small town. We don’t have a lot of resources,” Jessup said. “What we do have, we have to spend on police officers, the fire department; we just don’t have a lot of frills. Riverside Beautification Organization has helped to provide these things.”
Grants, contributions from citizens, businesses and fundraising efforts finance the RBO’s efforts, and volunteer labor keeps the work more affordable.
It seems the RBO has done things great and small – from city hall landscaping to logo designs to signs pointing to city businesses and the new playground to lighted snowflakes and a nativity at Christmas.
Their work impacts the city’s ability to attract new businesses and new residents, Jessup said. It’s about quality of life
“It’s a tremendous help,” Jessup said. City parks and signs and the new playground are “things that add to the quality of life. That’s why a civic group (like RBO) is important. Everybody in town wants (these amenities). But they don’t want a tax increase. It’s great to have volunteers who step up and make these things happen.”
The RBO spent over three years writing grants and raising money for playground equipment and the park, Pounders said.
The organization is also trying to do more than beautify. It wants to build stronger ties between Riverside residents. A yearly, communitywide Soup Supper was held in late February and Santa’s arrival came in December.
A new community event to promote local crafters and artists, Spring Fling, is set for March 23. In 2023, 35 vendors sold their wares along with activities for children, including an egg hunt and the Easter bunny. More are expected this year, Pounders said.
Spring Fling turned out to be a fundraiser along with the Poker Run on the river in June, which has become an annual community event.
Future projects to be completed by the Poker Run in addition to the Riverside Post office mural is another mural behind the Landing designed and painted by Penny Arnold that will greet boaters as they prepare to dock or dine at nearby Buck’s Barbecue.
But the RBO is always looking for new ideas and new members in the growing city.
“The biggest thing that they do is that they create a sense of community, a sense of pride in the Riverside area,” Jessup said. “And it’s the kind of pride only citizens can provide. City leadership, we can do everything as far as making ends meet and meeting the basic needs of the community. But the citizens and volunteers of community are really what make quality of life. Without them, we would sorely miss the quality of life that Riverside offers.”
“We’ve clearly gone beyond planting flowers,” Pounders said. “We’ve all fallen in love with Riverside. The river and all the little tributaries that come off of it are beautiful.”
Riverside, she added, is “a pretty little town. Because it’s a small town, you get to know your neighbors. We’ve made so many friendships by opening up the RBO to anybody that’s interested in volunteering and being part of us.”
RBO has a wish five or 10 years down the road. “We could be more of an educational group,” Pounders said. “We could have school groups come into the park and learn about native plants and animals. Community education and participation are important.”
Just like its quality of life.
Editor’s Note: The Riverside Beautification Organization meets monthly and open to all residents. For more information, contact Pounders at juliepounders@yahoo.com
