FOLEY, Ala. — A multi-million dollar land purchase by the City of Foley five years ago could still be a couple of years away from being the complete ecological park that was envisioned, but the pieces are coming together at Graham Creek Nature Preserve.

A canoe launch recently completed on the 483-acre tract in the southeastern section of the city could conceivably be opened by October, according to Foley Environmental Manager Leslie Lassitter.

“It’s really nice. They actually decked in benches on both sides of the landing. The decking that goes down to the water is a plastic material,” she said this week.

While “minor dressing up (is) left” at the canoe launch, Lassitter said pilings were driven, decking put up and a ramp was put in within a week’s time.

While the city had hoped to have the canoe launch open by January 2010, Lassitter said if a road can be made to the launch site and a parking lot put in the canoe launch area could be open by October.

“There are enough facilities out there,” she said.

Lassitter also noted that the Alabama Coastal Birding Fest wants to put the Graham Creek Nature Preserve on their agenda as a stop, so a bus load of “birders” will be coming in October anyway.

Should the canoe launch be opened by October, however, Lassitter said that still wouldn’t offer the public total access to the ecological park.

With the canoe launch in place, Lassitter said the next big objectives are getting a road into the park, possibly from the Foley Beach Express. Also, a pavilion area north of the canoe launch is a priority, as are opening up hiking trails.

According to Lassitter, some trails have been cut on some of the Preserve’s higher ground by simply mowing. Other trails, however, will need to “chopped,” and those Lassitter describes as being “true hiking trails — very rustic.”

She also said some clearing or thinning of pines is being done on 40 to 80 acres in the south part of the property.

One factor impacting the development of Graham Creek Nature Preserve at present is the shortage of grant money, but Lassitter said that hasn’t been an insurmountable obstacle. The City of Foley is doing as much of the work in that regard as possible.

A game camera on one of the trails has given Lassitter and others glimpses of “lots of deer,” raccoon, a few coyotes, gopher tortoise, but as yet no visual evidence of feral pigs. Lassitter said there are, however, signs that the pigs are a part of the ecological system at the Preserve.