DAPHNE, Ala. — Mayor Fred Small said he’d like 122 acres behind Wal-Mart on Park Drive to be developed into a new recreation complex with a focus on baseball and softball fields.

“We need more recreation and we need new baseball fields,” Small said. “(W.O.) Lott Park is not big enough for us anymore; it’s outdated.”

For now, however, the city can enjoy a half-mile walking trail on the undeveloped property.

Eagle Scout Eric Byrne’s goal — to build a walking trail through layers of brush at the site — began four months ago.

“I came out about every Saturday, most Sundays and days I had off of work,” the Scout, of Troop 47 in Fairhope, said.

Byrne, a junior at Daphne High and a scout since 2001, said his mother, Mary, motivated him to pursue the project.

The Daphne Recreation Board has a master plan to redesign the city’s three parks: the site on Park Drive, Al Trione Sports Complex on Whispering Pines Road and Lott Park on Main Street.

“That area will be turned into softball and baseball fields,” Small said of the Park Drive site. “A new senior (citizens) center is in the master plan as well as walking trails.”

Baseball fields at Trione will be reconfigured as soccer and football facilities.

“Lott Park will be turned into a tennis center,” Small said. “You’ll still have basketball, playgrounds and a skate park.”

Small expects the city’s expanded recreational centers to attract sports tournaments; serving as a host city can translate into increased revenue from tourism as tournament teams usually travel with their families.

“Funding for the total project will be quite expensive,” Councilman Ron Scott said. “I would think it will be developed in stages and funded through grants and/or future bond financing.”

At Monday’s council meeting, city clerk David Cohen said he is ready to apply for grants and only awaits direction from the council as to which types of grants he should target.

Byrne said he believes the city could use more recreation services but offered a few suggestions for engineers and planners who design the new park.

“I would like to see more benches, picnic tables and maybe trail markings,” he said. “And a parking lot, rest rooms, that kind of stuff.”

The scout would also like the trail to be lengthened.

“My goal, at first, was to make a mile-point,” he said — an endeavor that proved too large a task. After all, the scout wasn’t building a birdhouse; he would be carving a half-mile of earth.

One of Byrne’s plans that could work, however, was the addition of a kiosk, currently under construction at Daphne High, being built by members of the Future Farmers of America Club and the school’s agriculture department. The kiosk will include a map of the property, trail guide and a master plan for a future sports complex at the site.

Byrne appeared before the city council on Monday to present his project.

At the meeting, he shared photos and details of his project, outlining some of his biggest challenges.

“Not having all the right equipment,” was one challenge, Byrne said, adding that he initially showed up to work with a chainsaw and a couple of clippers. “So I had Public Works come out with a bulldozer.”

City site containment inspector Ashley Campbell was tapped for her knowledge on the environment.

“He came to me for help because I do a lot of the environmental stuff and walk a lot of the parks and know a lot about them,” Campbell said.

“If I had a question, she’d be the person I’d call to help me,” Byrne said, adding that Campbell was involved from project inception to completion.

While volunteering, Campbell helped Byrne plot coordinates and track boundary lines by using GPS locators.

“We also helped with the clearing and having all his paperwork (in order),” she said.

Campbell was impressed by the young scout’s work ethic and motivation.

“He’s a real hard worker and it’s been a pleasure working with him,” she said.

Byrne didn’t do this all on his own; he had help from local and state officials.

Sen. Tripp Pittman, R-Ala., lent Byrne a tractor with a box blade that was used to grade some of the trail.

Edmund Ellis and Bob James came with a mulcher and bush hog to clear out the front portion of the property.

“I wanted to do that to open it up so people who drive by can notice it,” Byrne said of the front clearing.

Joe Lovelady donated lumber and Tracy Hallenbach gave Plexiglas to build the kiosk.

Riviera Utilites lent electricity and a construction light so Byrne could work through shortened winter days.

Byrne said he appreciates knowing that future residents will benefit from his efforts.

“I enjoy knowing that people will use this trail and that they’ll enjoy the work I’ve done.”