ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Giles Perkins.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Editor’s note:  Railroad Park transformed Birmingham. Against  great  odds and overwhelming skepticism, Giles Perkins and a group of committed community volunteers persevered.  I asked Giles to write this piece to give insight to those of you who would like to make a difference.

I think it was in 2002 when I made my first visit to the lot that became Railroad Park.

My sons were younger then–their sister was not born yet–but they came with me and brought their bicycles.  There was a burnt out railcar in the corner.  In the middle of the lot there was an old trailer with someone living in it.  A sign on the door said DON’T KNOCK UNLESS YOU ARE THE POLICE OR I WILL SHOOT.

We packed up the bicycles.  On the ground I found a rusted railroad spike.  I took that spike and put it on my desk as a reminder of the task I had taken on and the distance we needed to travel to have success. Continue reading I challenge our children to make Birmingham great →