Volunteers contribute their time and energy to the greener good at Murphey in the City of Brookhaven. park

PARKPRIDE.ORG | SUMMER 2018

Your Contribution Makes a Difference Small Investments Make a Big Impact All too often, we are told that to make a difference we must "go big or go home." However, thanks to the collective work of committed individuals, we're proving that small, grassroots strategies to park improvements have a big impact within our greenspaces and communities. How, you ask? Consider the following graphs showing three years of data from two Park Pride programs that facilitate community-led park improvements. When combined, the hours volunteered and dollars invested result in a significant contribution to parks and a positive impact for our quality of life and city. Volunteer Program Fiscal Partners Program Within the last three years, community Under the umbrella of Park Pride's members have dedicated nearly 57,000 nonprofit status, Friends of the Park hours of work to neighborhood parks: an groups have raised over $840,000 for investment valued at over $1.3 million. neighborhood parks since 2015.

in this issue

Expanding the Parks Movement page 3

Friends Groups Celebrate Park Improvements page 4

Activate Your Park page 5

Conference Executive Summary continued on page 2. page 6 ENGAGING COMMUNITIES TO ACTIVATE THE POWER OF PARKS donor profile: why i give it's bigger than parks

Debbie Kimerling Schneider DeKalb County community member and Park Pride advocate

"Park Pride makes communities feel proud of their parks.

Park Pride brings terrific energy to local communities. They work to activate our shared, public spaces—making them work for the people who live there.

For Earth Day, Park Pride and the Friends of Hairston Park brought together volunteers from That’s the true beauty behind Invesco, Wells Fargo, Antioch AME Church, and others to clear overgrown walking trails. Thank you for your investment of time and energy in our parks! Park Pride’s mission: it is so much bigger than parks. Park Pride Small Investments from page 1. unites people. Taken together, contributions to these two programs have leveraged over $2.1 When working with Park Pride, million in support for local neighborhood parks. neighbors who have never met get to know one another. These examples illustrate that even small investments in our parks, our They can hold open, honest communities, and in Park Pride have a significant and positive impact on discussions with each other, and our community. Small is surprisingly powerful. It is authentic, inclusive, they generally come out with inspirational, and empowering. Small is beautiful. a better sense of how to work together. Thank you for giving your energy, time, and dollars to support great parks and the communities that love them! Ultimately, these communities become united behind a common goal for their park. Park How Can You Contribute? Pride just gives them the tools Would you like to help your community leverage the big power of small and resources they need to investments? Here are some ideas to get you started: envision and advocate for it. • Give a bit of your energy – check out the Park Pride calendar and sign Park Pride is an organization up to join us for a volunteer project. Or, plan a special volunteer outing with something for everyone—for people of all ages and from all for your corporate team or community group! When commenting on why walks of life. And, as beneficiaries Wells Fargo invests in parks and Park Pride, Kristina Christy, Wells Fargo of this wonderful service, it’s up to Vice President, and North GA Community Affairs, noted, "It is us to ensure that Park Pride has a great partnership for us when we fund an organization and our team the resources they need to carry members are involved in the program as well." parkpride.org/volunteer out their mission.

• Give a bit of your time – wear green and join us at a monthly Park Meeting That’s why I’m a proud supporter of the greener good." to connect with other park advocates and learn about opportunities to parkpride.org/parkmeeting engage with the parks movement. Will you support the greener good? • Give a monthly gift to Park Pride – a little each month makes a huge Your gift will help more communities, parkpride.org/monthlygift difference for the greener good! like Debbie's, unite through the power of parks. Visit To learn more about Park Pride and the impact your investments have parkpride.org/donate. in our parks and communities, please view our 2017 Impact Report on our website at bit.ly/parkimpact17.

2 parkviews | summer 2018 Expanding the Parks Movement park pride is growing: meet the team Welcoming Brookhaven and As the Friends of the Park Program expands to meet the Tucker to the Parks Family needs of more communities wanting to improve their parks, Word is spreading about the earlier this year. During the Park Pride is similarly growing to power of parks across the Atlanta intervening time, the Friends of ensure that each Friends group is area—thank you for raising your well-supported. Tucker Parks remained committed voice and sharing your passion for to the greener good of their Kayla Altland greenspace! As a result, both the City neighborhoods by hosting volunteer Kayla joins the of Brookhaven and the City of Tucker workdays, organizing community Park Pride team have joined the Park Pride family. events, and completing park as our Friends of Prior to their incorporation as cities, improvement projects. the Park Associate Park Pride supported Friends of the and will provide “Park Pride is exactly the type of support to Friends Park groups in both jurisdictions. of the Park partner we need to improve the level groups in DeKalb, Brookhaven, After Brookhaven's incorporation of service to our community and and Tucker. She brings with in 2012, Friends of the Park groups to really reimagine what Parks and her a unique skill set—formed (using Park Pride’s advocacy model) Recreation can be in Tucker," said from experience working within banded together Tucker Parks the National Park Service and as the Parks and Recreation developing programs for youth organizations—and, of course, a & Recreation "Having Park Pride return Director, Rip passion for parks! Coalition to our community is like a Robertson. (PARC) of reunion of familiar friends" Brookhaven to The expansion Additionally, four fresh-faced ~ Sue Binkert, of the Friends interns have joined us for the serve as a united Chair of PARC of Brookhaven of the Park summer, using their knowledge voice for parks. and enthusiasm to increase the In addition Program gives capacity of our staff: to playing a groups in coordination role between all the Brookhaven and Tucker access to Tim Davidson the tools and resources that support Community Building Friends groups, PARC also laid community-led park improvement Intern; rising senior at the groundwork for Park Pride to Emory University develop a relationship with the City efforts, including capacity-building of Brookhaven. workshops, the Park Play Library, the Fiscal Partners Program (which Jiaying Hu "Having Park Pride return to our allows Friends groups to raise funds Park Visioning Intern; community is like a reunion of without the burden of forming master's student at familiar friends," said Sue Binkert, a nonprofit), and the Volunteer University of Florida Chair of PARC of Brookhaven. Program. "PARC's members and the city will We look forward to connecting further Emma Nortje benefit from having Park Pride's Marketing + Dev. expertise to leverage community with the leadership and communities Intern; 2018 graduate efforts, thereby advancing and in both cities, strengthening our from College enhancing the quality and function relationships with existing Friends & State University of Brookhaven's parks." of the Park groups, and helping neighbors establish new groups. Nick Stephens The City of Tucker incorporated in Join us as we extend our warmest Park Visioning Intern; master's student at 2016 and took over management welcome to the communities and Georgia Institute of of their parks from DeKalb County parks of Brookhaven and Tucker! Technology Learn more about the process of forming a Friends of the Park group in your community. Visit parkpride.org/friends.

parkpride.org | for the greener good 3 Sara J. González Park

Photo credit: Eric Soderstrom

The Legacy Grant awarded to the Friends of Sara J. González Park will support a complete park redesign, turning this underutilized space into a thriving community centerpiece with a playground, playing fields, and greater access to/from the surrounding community. A groundbreaking ceremony for this park—named in memory of Sara J. González, a pillar of Atlanta's Hispanic community—was held in May. Families from the surrounding community gathered at the park for a hard hat tour of the new playground site. Sara J. González Park is the first park named after a Latino in the State of Georgia. Friends Groups Celebrate Park Improvements

Friends of the Park groups across the city are celebrating transformational park improvements made possible by Park Pride grants. Our grants are generously funded by The Woodruff Foundation (Legacy Grants) and The Home Depot Foundation (Community Building and Small Change Grants) and are matched at least 1:1 by the community. Henderson Park Blue Heron Nature Preserve

A new kiosk and signage, both funded in part by a Community The Grist Mill Dam is a beautiful artifact that will delight visitors to Building Grant, welcomes and informs visitors to Henderson Park's Blue Heron Nature Preserve's Blueway Trail. A Legacy Grant will White Trail. In April, the Friends of Henderson Park celebrated support the trail's expansion along the habitat rich Mill and Nancy these and other amenities supported by the grant—including the Creeks and will eventually connect to and PATH400. trail's redesign, erosion control measures, and stepping stones at Blue Heron Nature Preserve kicked off construction of this new creek crossings—at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. portion of the trail in April with a groundbreaking ceremony.

South Atlanta Park Noble Park The Friends of South The Friends of Noble Atlanta Park are very Park received a Legacy excited about the seating Grant to help fund they've installed at their landscape and hardscape new playground through a improvements in the Community Building Grant. park, in addition to the When the Friends group installation of a new gathered the community for playground. The Friends a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted a groundbreaking in May, kids and adults alike ceremony during a enjoyed testing the new neighborhood celebration equipment, including City in May in anticipation of of Atlanta Council Member, the renovations. Carla Smith!

Are you interested in spearheading a park improvement project for your community? Learn how a Park Pride grant could support your efforts at parkpride.org/grants. 4 parkviews | summer 2018 Activate Your Park message from michael: advancing the Tips for Planning a Community power of parks Event in Your Park Michael Halicki Park Pride's Executive Director Are you looking for opportunities to relax and have fun with your family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors? There are few spots around the city to host Efforts to advance an event that are more scenic or affordable than our urban parks! Whether the power of parks are bearing you’re planning a family reunion, a corporate retreat, or a neighborhood meet- fruit at the city, and-greet, hosting an event in a park is a fantastic way to get people outside state, and national levels. and enjoying the benefits of spending time in a great park, including stress relief, increased physical activity, increased happiness, and more! At the city level, Park Pride and the "green shirt army" were active As you're planning your community event in your park, consider these steps in the days leading up to the below for a smooth experience: adoption of the FY 2019 budget by the Atlanta City Council. We're Determine what sort of event you’d like to host. Ideas include: happy to announce a significant 1. increase to the parks budget of • a volunteer workday • a neighborhood potluck, approximately $3 million. • a family fun day or corporate cookout, or picnic retreat • a scavenger hunt or talent show At the state level, Park Pride and • a sports scrimmage or • an art expo, theater our partners have successfully tournament performance, or concert lobbied for a dedicated source of funding for land conservation. The Georgia Outdoor TIP: If this is your first park event, start small. Stewardship Act, signed into law on May 7th by Governor Consider partnering with another group or Nathan Deal, gives voters the community to share planning responsibilities. opportunity to vote in November to dedicate a portion of the existing sales and use tax to the Determine whether you need a permit, and plan to submit your protection of Georgia’s water, 2. application well in advance (one to three months depending on the type lands, and wildlife (this includes of permit and jurisdiction). You may need a permit if you want to: local parks and trails). • have more than 75 people • set up large tents or a stage Spread the word: Vote “YES” • use amplified sound, a • sell food or goods in the park to enact the Georgia Outdoor generator, or portable toilets • sell tickets Stewardship Act in November. Nationally, the City of Atlanta's TIP: Requirements for permits are different from park system received positive recognition through The Trust for jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Contact your Parks Public Land’s annual ParkScore, Department to learn the rules for your park. a ranking of the 100 largest US cities' park systems. Atlanta jumped an impressive seven If you're planning a community event, reach out to partners and places from 50th to 43rd, validation 3. involve everyone in the community. Suggestions include: that Atlanta’s parks are on the rise. • elected officials, faith-based • fire and police departments Each announcement offers good organizations, or fraternal • restaurants and businesses that news with a bit of unfinished organizations serve your community business. Thank you for joining • neighborhood schools, • Park Pride (reserve the Park us at the forefront of the Atlanta colleges, and universities Play Library) parks movement. Let's keep the momentum going! Want more ideas? Download Matthew Clarke’s Field Guide for Creative Placemaking for inspiration: bit.ly/tplfieldguide.

parkpride.org | for the greener good 5 Your Executive Summary park heroes: Parks AND THE RESILIENTCity be inspired! At the Parks & Greenspace The 17th Annual Parks & Greenspace Conference, Parks and the Resilient City, Conference, six park leaders were explored how a robust park system contributes to the overall resilience of a city honored with Inspiration Awards. and ways we can make our park systems more resilient in the face of growing populations. Local experts and thought leaders from across the country challenged us to expand our thinking about parks and public spaces, shared insight about how to foster the values of environmental stewardship, and invoked the power of parks to help achieve a more united, supportive, and "beloved" community.

Keynote Speakers Decton Hylton "We recognize the role that parks play in building the whole Decton knows that community gardening is about more than world of resilience, because investment in parks is not just growing food; his passion for just about greenspace. It's about public health. It's about community and building relationships creating a safer environment. It's about creating a new and has had a tremendous impact on better world for Atlanta." ~ Otis Rolley, 100 Resilient Cities, Forty Oaks Nature Preserve. Regional Director, North America Bob Kerr As a founding member of the South "Why do people care [about the environment]? There are two Fork Conservancy, the miles of ingredients that you need: consistent contact to natural land restored creek-side trails and two from an early age, and an environmental mentor in your life.” new parks are due in part to the respect that Bob has fostered over ~ Ken Leinbach, Executive Director of the Urban Ecology Center his five decades of greenspace conservation work in Georgia.

"We need to begin to experiment and think about almost every Cara Schroeder For almost a decade, Cara has landscape project that we do as a pilot for adaptation and engaged volunteers, developed change and integration into a new policy context." ~ Kate Orff, relationships with neighbors, and Founder of SCAPE, landscape architect, and MacArthur Fellow advocated for greenspaces, making a huge difference across parks in the City of Tucker. Featured Speakers Joel Slaton Combining art with conservation "The answer to gentrification and displacement is not to not on Doll’s Head Trail at Constitution build transit stations and grocery stores and greenways and Lakes Park, Joel has drawn visitors trails and parks; the answer is not to hold [neighborhoods] to the park while teaching them down just to keep them affordable; it's to follow through about history and how to respect and enjoy the natural setting. on policies that support them." ~ Ryan Gravel, Founding Principal at Sixpitch, urban planner, and visionary behind the Tony Torrence Atlanta BeltLine As co-chair of the Proctor Creek Stewardship Council, Tony has "Trust, empathy, and courage. Those are the three pillars that worked on behalf of communities we have to leverage together in order to realize parks that suffering from decades of environmental injustice and has been are a part of the beloved community." ~ Nathaniel Smith, a proponent of Lindsay Street Park Founder and Chief Equity Officer / CEO of the Partnership and Boone Park West. for Southern Equity Isabel González-Whitaker Since 2010, Isabel has worked with the community to transform th Sara Save the Date: March 25 , 2019 J. González Park into a place that 18th Annual Parks & Greenspace Conference honors Atlanta’s Latino and Hispanic communities and Sara González’s parks are the heart of community dedication and contributions to them. visit parkpride.org/conference to suggest session topics or to become a conference sponsor 6 parkviews | summer 2018 staff development: 2018 Corporate Champions learning to serve Thank you to the following organizations for their extraordinary generosity This spring, several staff in support of Park Pride’s annual operating needs, programs and events! members participated in specialized training programs benefactor to further develop their skills and learn to serve parks, communities, and you better:

Ellen Bruenderman, Project Manager, joined the 2018 cohort of TransFormation Alliance’s Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Academy, aimed at increasing participation among sustainer crusader residents in decisions about planning and developments impacting their communities.

Michael Halicki, Executive Director, participated in the Circles Visionary Leadership Involvement activator Networking Knowledge (LINK) trip to San Diego, during which he had the opportunity to exchange ideas with counterparts for fostering change on a range of issues.

Teri Nye, Park Visioning Coordinator, joined the Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta (ALMA) gold 2018 cohort. ALMA is an Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) program that addresses the challenges facing the region’s arts and culture community. PEREZ PLANNING + DESIGN, LLC Ayanna Williams, Director of Community Building, joined the 2018 cohort of the Institute silver for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL), which provides the education, training, and networking opportunities ® necessary to help address Georgia’s environmental challenges. green Jane Zoellick, Development Supporter Circles Supporter Arborguard Tree Specialists Manager, earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential, demonstrating her commitment to the Become a Champion for Parks! highest standards of ethics, competence, and service to the Please reach out to Jane Zoellick, philanthropic sector. Development Manager, to learn more. [email protected] or 404-546-6855.

parkpride.org | for the greener good 7 Park Pride’s Board of Directors Melody Darch | Chair Cox Media Group Carlos Perez | Vice Chair Perez Planning + Design Bob Mullen | Secretary Jacobs Engineering Barbara Reid | Treasurer Retired CPA Peggy Allumbaugh | At-Large Retired Partner, Deloitte LLP Lindsey Sones | At-Large Mimosa Garden Club Sadler Poe | Past Chair (Ex-Officio) Retired Lawyer

Robin Aiken Homrich Berg Mark Balloun MultiCam Southeast Kirk Billings Pope & Land Real Estate

C.J. Cash Governor Nathan Deal signed the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act (HB 332) into law in SunTrust Bank a ceremony at the State Capitol on Monday, May 7, giving voters the opportunity to vote in November to dedicate a portion of the existing sales and use tax to the protection of Georgia’s Joe Cronk water, lands, and wildlife (this includes local parks and trails). to Alvarez & Marsal Spread the word: Vote “YES” enact the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act. Read more advocacy updates on page 5. Joe Finley Jones Day Courtney Fletcher Doosan Infracore International, Inc. Liz Gillespie North American Properties Tanya Hairston-Whitner The Home Depot Lee Harrop Matthew Hicks park pride events & deadlines Grady Health System May B. Hollis July Peachtree Garden Club 12 Park Pride's Monthly Park Meeting Barbara Levy Education Connection Advisors 13 Deadline: Letter of Intent Submission for Park Pride Grants David Moss 28 Workshop: Park Design Clinic PricewaterhouseCoopers Kristy Rachal August Georgia Power 1 Deadline: Small Change Grant Application JaKathryn Ross 9 Park Pride's Monthly Park Meeting Georgia-Pacific Gwendolyn Smith September Invesco, Ltd. 8 Workshop: Engaging Community Volunteers Esther Stokes Stokes Landscape Design 13 Park Pride's Monthly Park Meeting Caroline Vroon 15 Greener Good Volunteer Day Cherokee Garden Club 28 Deadline: Community Building & Legacy Grant Applications October 11 Park Pride's Monthly Park Meeting Mission To engage communities to activate the power of parks. 27 Workshop: Bringing Positive Activity into Your Park

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