FAIRHOPE — Fairhope is getting a boost to its recreation in the near future.

For starters, progress on a new pedestrian tunnel, which will be located below Veterans Drive, has gone smoothly. However, the tunnel is part of a larger project currently underway in Fairhope that is turning a large part of land within the city into what will become the Flying Creek Nature Preserve.

A 72-acre parcel located between Veterans Boulevard and Fly Creek in Fairhope is being developed and constructed into a new outdoor recreational area to enhance the local community. The groundbreaking and framework began over the summer during the same timeframe as the pedestrian tunnel.

Along with the new pedestrian tunnel, Flying Creek Nature Preserve will include several nature trails, outdoor classrooms, a pavilion and a kayak launch.

Nicole Love, who serves as the grants coordinator for the City of Fairhope, said the project is split into two phases, with each phase receiving over $1 million in GOMESA grants for development.

As for the pedestrian tunnel, that will connect the north parcel and the south parcel of the area, with the north being intended for more "passive recreation" while the south will be for "active recreation" such as mountain biking and hiking.

"The idea of the pedestrian tunnel was so people wouldn't have to cross Veterans Drive, which is kind of fast moving," Love said. "Also, we didn't want to change the aesthetic of that, so we [went] underground instead of doing an overpass."

Although an exact timeframe is unclear, there is belief that Flying Creek Nature Preserve, along with the new pedestrian tunnel, will be completed in the summer of 2025.