Foley, Ala. — (OBA) — A new pavilion is coming to Graham Creek Nature Preserve in Foley. This addition will create more space for outdoor activities. The pavilion will help the community enjoy events and gatherings in a natural setting. It will make the preserve even more inviting for visitors.

The Foley City Council has decided to purchase a prefabricated metal event pavilion. They will also request bids from contractors to install the building. The new pavilion will be located on Philomene Holmes Boulevard inside the preserve. This will be the fourth pavilion built at Graham Creek.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich shared that the city found ways to lower the cost of the project. Early cost estimates were higher than expected, but adjustments were made to save money.

“They worked and did more research and found something that meets the same guidelines, and cut it down to where it meets the budget,” Hellmich said. “They have worked real diligently together to get this within budget. In this day and time when you're talking about steel buildings of any kind, that's that's a challenge. They did a good job with that.”

The structure will be 40-feet by 60-feet, Leslie Gahagan, Foley sustainability and natural resources director, said. She said the building will be attractive, but practical.

“It's got an architectural type roof, and it's got a teak decking underneath,” Gahagan said. “It's still a very beautiful structure. We just changed the roofline, so it wasn't custom.”

The Graham Creek Nature Preserve is located on Wolf Bay Drive in southeast Foley. The park includes a canoe-kayak launch and kayak rentals, an interpretive nature center, hiking trails, a play garden, mountain biking, outdoor classrooms, three full disc-golf courses, an archery range, picnic areas and a boardwalk.

The preserve, which is currently about 650 acres in size, is the largest municipal nature preserve in Alabama.