Rainbow Mountain getting outdoor pavilion soon
Progress is being made for the pavilion planned at Rainbow Mountain. County Commissioner Steve Haraway said the goal is for the project to be completed in October. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)
By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer
MADISON – Hikers at Madison’s Rainbow Mountain will soon have the benefit of an outdoor covered pavilion with eight picnic tables at their disposal.
A project over two years in the making, County Commissioner Steve Haraway confirmed that construction is underway on the project and said the pavilion could be complete sometime in October.
“We’ve completed the site work this past week,” Haraway said at an interview on July 16. “Hopefully we’ll have some prices soon on the project.”
The project is a collaboration between the city of Madison, Haraway’s resources as county commissioner and the Land Trust of North Alabama.
The pavilion will sit directly adjacent to Rainbow Mountain’s main parking lot off of Stoneway Trail, which was recently paved over, and the entrance to the trailhead. The enclosure will measure 20 feet by 40 feet and contain eight picnic tables.
Haraway said the pavilion will be handicap accessible, made even more so by the leveling out of the incline between the parking lot and pavilion floor to allow easier access for wheelchairs. Haraway also mentioned the project’s columns will have features “like a brick column” at the bases to give it a more aesthetic feel.
“We want it to match the style of the area so it looks good and it doesn’t have a pole barn effect,” he said.
Marie Bostick, executive director of the Land Trust of North Alabama, said her organization will be providing the funding for the picnic tables.
“Well, of course Rainbow Mountain is already highly used by hikers from in and around Madison,” Bostick said. “This will give them a place for them to gather.”
Rainbow Mountain, which sits just to the east of Hughes Road in the center of Madison, features a 1.5-mile loop trail around the preserve and several subsidiary trails.
