Group expresses concerns over OMSP hotel, convention center

Rita Jablonski-Jaudon enjoys Oak Mountain State Park because she can ride horses, her son can fish and her husband can bicycle in the midst of acres of wilderness. When she first heard that Shelby County was considering building a hotel and convention center within the park, she was worried about the effect it would have on the park’s natural beauty.

“If you start developing that state park, you lose the quiet and tranquility to enjoy,” Jablonski-Jaudon said.

With some like-minded county residents, she started the Keep Oak Mountain Wild group to raise her concerns about the proposed development. Since its beginning in December, the group’s Facebook page has grown to more than 400 followers.

The hotel and convention center is under consideration by the Shelby County Commission and the city of Pelham. A feasibility study released in mid-January recommended a hotel with around 175 rooms, cottages, 20,000 square feet of meeting space and a 10,000-square-foot ballroom. The buildings could be host to business conventions, weddings and other events, as well as park visitors.

Jablonski-Jaudon and the Keep Oak Mountain Wild group, however, believe the development would have a negative impact on the park as soon as construction begins. The project would increase water and pollutant runoff into the park’s lakes, as well as increase light and noise pollution. Jablonski-Jaudon said this would have an effect on the park’s biodiversity, plant health and animal behavior, such as bird flight patterns.

“It’s the only real, wild, wonderful green around here,” said Keep Oak Mountain Wild legal counsel and Indian Springs city council member Kathryn Harrington said. “We don’t want to see a big disturbance of the timber and the ecology of the park.”

Additionally, the group believes the existing hotels in the area are more than adequate to house visitors. Harrington said most of the hotels are not operating close to full capacity.

“It’s not like we’re in great need of rooms,” Harrington said. “We think that development is not a good fit for Oak Mountain State Park.”

Instead of developing the park, Jablonski-Jaudon said she wants more people to enjoy Oak Mountain’s existing activities that have a low ecological impact, such as biking, hiking and kayaking. As a nurse, she also thinks the park is a critical resource for fitness, and a hotel and convention center would get in the way of that.

“We want to support recreational activities that are compatible with the park’s ecosystem,” Jablonski-Jaudon said.

Keep Oak Mountain Wild has a petition on its website and will be attending meetings and contacting elected officials. On Jan. 27 at 6:45 p.m., the group is having a meeting at North Shelby Fire Station 2, 4996 Caldwell Mill Road. The group will be sharing their concerns with the public and encouraging people to talk to their elected officials.

For more information, visit komw.org or the Keep Oak Mountain Wild Facebook page.