Park Views Fall 2018

Created through Park Pride's community-driven Park Visioning Program, this conceptual park master plan for Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park (formerly Boone Park West), captures English Rain Avenue community members' Garden dreams for their park. o

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PRIVATE RESIDENCE S PARKPRIDE.ORG | FALL 2018 t e e r t Your Support Makes Community Parks Possible A Park at the Heart of English Avenue PRIVATE LOTS Imagine living in a neighborhood without a park. Your kids and grandkids don’t have a safe place to play. There is no beautiful greenspace to host outdoor community gatherings or family picnics. On top of that, imagine your neighborhood experiences devastating floods regularly. The neighborhood described above was, ceremony where she, along with Atlanta unfortunately, Atlanta’s own English City Councilmember Ivory Lee Young, Jr. Avenue just a few years ago. However, and Department of Parks and Recreation due to thePRIVATE persistence LOT of English Avenue Commissioner Amy Phuong, revealed residents combined with the support of the official new name of the greenspace Park Pride and dozens of partners, this formerly known as Boone Park West— neighborhood is experiencing a renewal, the Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park. starting with greenspace. Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park is English Avenue, situated within the the third in a series of parks proposed Proctor Creek Watershed on Atlanta’s in the Proctor Creek North Avenue Westside, has long suffered from Green Infrastructure Vision (Park Pride, damaging combined-sewer overflows 2010) to address stormwater runoff and related to stormwater runoff, economic create park space. The park is expected in this issue disinvestment, social and educational to manage up to 3.5 million gallons of challenges, and a lack of greenspace. stormwater per year, capturing runoff from adjacent streets and routing the Tips for a Stronger, Healthier rd However, on August 23 , the community water into a series of rain gardens, Community [1] page 3 and partners (including Park Pride, stormwater swales, and underground The Conservation Fund, Chattahoochee chambers. These features will clean and Celebrating Community, Riverkeeper, and the City of Atlanta) detain the stormwater, reducing flooding Family, and Diversity gathered to break ground on a long- page 4 and sewer overflow events. anticipated greenspace that will both How to Build Sustainable mitigate flooding in the neighborhood “While Kathryn Johnston Memorial Trails and address the lack of access to parks. Park will alleviate flooding,” explained page 5 City of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Park Pride’s Director of Park Visioning, Parks are the Heart of Bottoms presided over the dedication Andrew White, “it more importantly has Green Street Community continued on page 2. page 6 Improvements ENGAGING COMMUNITIES TO ACTIVATE THE POWER OF PARKS A Park at the Heart of English Avenue from page 1 spread the word: the potential to become the heart of Additionally, area residents will the English Avenue community.” In participate in workforce training vote yes on 1! 2016, White and English Avenue through a partnership with the This November, Georgians leaders formed a steering committee Greening Youth Foundation and play have the opportunity to create of neighborhood residents to direct a hands-on role in building the park. a dedicated source of funding the creation to support clean water and of a park The Kathryn state and local parks by voting master plan Johnston YES on Amendment 1, the "For a project to truly be Georgia Outdoor Stewardship through Park Memorial community-supported, residents Park also Amendment. Pride’s Park must be at the table..." Visioning preserves By dedicating a portion of the Program. ~ Tony Torrence, Co-Chair, a powerful existing sales and use tax on outdoor sporting goods, the As the plan Proctor Creek Stewardship Council legacy in Atlanta’s Georgia Outdoor Stewardship developed, Amendment, or GOSA, is a once- history hundreds in-a-generation opportunity to of community members gave input. of civil rights. In 2006, Kathryn commit more than $200 million “This plan reflects what a community Johnston, a 92-year-old grandmother, to land and water conservation wants to see in their park, increasing was tragically killed by members of over the next 10 years! the Atlanta Police Department in her the likelihood that the park will While 8-out-of-10 voters become a beloved greenspace.” English Avenue home. This park will expressed support of GOSA in a preserve her memory and sacrifice, recent poll, the fact remains that Tony Torrence, an English Avenue serving as a reminder to prevent many voters are unaware that this resident and Co-Chair of the Proctor future tragedies. ballot measure is awaiting their Creek Stewardship Council, agrees. decision as they head to the polls “For a project to truly be community- Once completed, the Kathryn to cast their ballot. supported, residents must be at the Johnston Memorial Park will provide table,” stated Torrence. “Community English Avenue residents a safe place residents have been engaged every to relax, exercise, play with their step of the way in developing the families, and meet their neighbors. plans for this park." In addition to the water retention amenities, the park will include a playground, fitness station, and open greenspace for pickup games of soccer or flying kites.

We look forward to sharing progress as the park moves toward completion and a ribbon-cutting celebration. Follow along on the Community members and partners join Park Pride blog for updates: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to break parkpride.org/news. ground at Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park. Do your part to support clean 1.Additional partners and funders that have played a key role in bringing Kathryn Johnston water and state and local parks Memorial Park to fruition include: the City of Atlanta’s Departments of Parks and Recreation and this November. Watershed Management, the City of Atlanta’s Office of Resilience, Invest Atlanta, the Proctor Creek Spread the word to vote Stewardship Council, English Avenue Neighborhood Association, the Coca-Cola Foundation, and YES on Amendment 1, the the National Recreation & Parks Association (visit the Park Pride website for a full list of our Georgia Outdoor Stewardship valued partners and funders: bit.ly/kjmp2018). Amendment! Park Pride’s Park Visioning Program helps communities create a park Learn more at master plan thanks to the support of our donors. Your contribution georgiaoutdoorstewardship.org. means that more children and families in English Avenue and in neighborhoods across our service area will have access to greenspace.

2 parkviews | fall 2018 Whether you're mulching trees, removing invasive plants, or planting a garden like these volunteers at Chapel Hill Park, volunteering is a great workout! Activate Your Park Tips for a Stronger, Healthier Community

by Veronica Squires, Chief Administrative Officer at The Good Samaritan Health Center and Co-Author of How Neighborhoods Make Us Sick: Restoring Health and Wellness to Our Communities

Ten years ago, if you had asked me about the importance of of safety, family-friendly amenities, and preservation of the “built environment” on lifespan, I would have returned nature that resulted in both improved health outcomes and a blank stare. I didn’t have any exposure to the kind of blight a stronger community. that, over time, weathers neighborhoods and can take years off your life. I offer this personal example as a call-to-action: get involved and activate your park—your health, and the health and Studies show that a person’s lifespan is influenced more happiness of your community, depend on it! by their ZIP code than their genetic code. This is linked to the impact of several factors, including: lack of access Tips to Activate Your Park: to healthcare, community violence, presence of toxins and • Organize a volunteer day. Volunteering keeps predatory businesses, and lack of educational and career the environment clean and helps neighbors form opportunities. Any of these determinants in isolation would relationships. If you’re pulling weeds, spreading mulch, be stressful, but the combined impact on the body has or picking up trash, you're getting a workout, too! been likened to a steady trickle of water hitting a sidewalk. A day’s worth of drops hardly hurts anything. A month’s • Walk with a doc. Get your steps in by walking worth of drops might discolor the concrete. But years of your park with a doctor. Forming a walking group drops erodes the pavement. In the body, the steady drip of strengthens the bonds between members and environmental blight at every turn can cause chronic illness, improves neighborhood safety with increased eyes mental health issues, and disease. on the park. You can also organize other community events that promote health, such as festivals, pick-up This information begs the question: when the streets are sports games, and more! lined with vacant houses, lots are overgrown by kudzu, trash is scattered everywhere, and the corner store is the only • Plant a garden. Community gardens provide place to buy groceries—do parks even make a difference? nutritious vegetables and fruits to communities (especially significant to those in food deserts). They They do. also connect neighbors over a shared interest and reduce social isolation. Parks can catalyze improvements in health and strengthen communities. When the Rev. James Orange Park received • Form a Friends of the Park group with Park Pride and Park Pride’s Legacy Grant in 2012, it spurred additional work towards installing park amenities through the city investment that resulted in a new pool, splash pad, and Grant Programs that encourage healthy behaviors, such playground. The residents coalesced around a shared vision as fitness stations, basketball courts, or a walking track.

Interested in activating your park to improve individual and community health? Reach out to Kayla Altland, Friends of the Park Associate, to discuss ways to get started: [email protected].

parkpride.org | for the greener good 3 Friends of the Park Spotlight park pride tribute cards: Celebrating Community, Family, & give the gift of greenspace

Diversity at Sara J. González Park Introducing Park Pride's Tribute Cards!

Truly the gift that keeps on "Parks live and breathe, and communities thrive where giving, Park Pride's Tribute Cards there are greenspaces and safe spaces for children to allow you to support Atlanta’s play and for communities to come together." parks, greenspaces, and trails in honor of a friend, family member, ~ Isabel González Whitaker, or loved one. Friends of Sara J. González Park With your gift of $25 or more, Park Pride will send your choice Ten years ago, Isabel González Whitaker was looking for a way to honor of one of several park-themed cards to any recipient with a her mother, Sara J. González, a Cuban immigrant and leader for Georgia’s personalized message inside to Hispanic community who had recently passed. Isabel discovered that Coronet celebrate a birthday, anniversary, Way Park—a park in Northwest Atlanta within walking distance of her or other occasion. mother's neighborhood—was available for renaming. What better gift for the park The park, shaded by 100-year-old lover in your life this holiday oak trees, was home only to a small, season than the gift of safer, cleaner and greener parks? tired playground not fit for use by neighborhood children. Yet, Isabel front back saw potential; she imagined a new all-abilities playground, a soccer field, and an education nook. She dreamed of a space that would champion inclusivity of cultures, ages, and abilities. More options available online. Visit parkpride.org/ Isabel González Whitaker (second from right) Isabel worked to have the park joined by neighborhood families and friends tribute-cards to make a gift in Sara J. González Park. Photo credit: Isabel and mark holiday shopping renamed to Sara J. González Park, González Whitaker the first and only park in Georgia off your list! Thank you for your support. named in honor of a Latino. She the Friends group have raised over formed the Friends of Sara J. $250,000 to bring their vision to life. González Park and, because she had ambitious plans, joined the Fiscal “It was so helpful to have a partner Partners Program to raise the funds to walk through the forest with me,” needed to develop the park under Isabel stated. “Park Pride not only Park Pride's nonprofit status. gave me the resources, but it also gave me guidance for something I In 2017, Park Pride awarded knew nothing about.” the Friends of the Park group a Legacy Grant, which supported a Thank you, Isabel and the Friends comprehensive park redesign and of Sara J. González Park, for being Learn more about how Park Pride's Fiscal Partners Program supported the fulfillment of several of the amenities of which champions of inclusive parks and Isabel's dreams for the Sara J. González Park: Isabel dreamt. In total, Isabel and communities! parkpride.org/a-partner-to-rely-on.

Your gift to Park Pride helps Friends of the Park groups, like the Friends of Sara J. González Park, activate the power of parks to strengthen communities. Please consider making a gift today to support Park Pride and the greener good of our city: parkpride.org/donate.

4 parkviews | fall 2018 saying farewell: Empowering Volunteer Leaders ayanna williams How to Build Sustainable Trails departs park pride after 11 years As a resident of the Atlanta area, you don’t have to go far to feel miles away from This fall, Ayanna urban life. Many parks, such as Cascade Williams, Park Springs Nature Preserve in Southwest Pride’s Director Atlanta, Southside Park in South Atlanta, of Community Building, or Murphey Candler Park in Brookhaven, announced her include natural walking trails that invite departure from you to stroll at your leisure—or to grab the organization after 11 years! your mountain bike for a ride!

It would be impossible A natural surface trail is a fantastic to overstate Ayanna’s addition to any park, especially those accomplishments with Park Pride. Volunteers proudly display invasive privet With a degree in social work with forests. Natural trails are affordable, removed from the middle of a new trail. and considerable community protect the ecosystem from destruction organizing experience, Ayanna caused by the heavy machinery required to lay pavement, and are gentle on made an impact from her first day. your knees!

She expanded Park Pride’s On September 22nd, Park Pride, in partnership with MTB Atlanta, offered a “Friend Raising” efforts and workshop to park enthusiasts on how to build sustainable trails. Veteran trail created our signature Friends of the Park Program, which builder and educator, Walt Bready of MTB Atlanta, shared his expertise on the has grown to over 100 groups best practices of trail design before empowering the workshop attendees with engaged in improving parks some real trail building experience at the Outdoor Activity Center. and strengthening communities across Atlanta and DeKalb. “Through workshops, Park Pride strives to equip Friends of the Park volunteers with the skills needed to take on a variety of park projects,” Ayanna has a gift for working explained John Ahern, Park Pride’s Volunteer Manager. “When they have the with people. She is an active listener with a great talent for confidence in their own abilities, they’ll lead their own projects and teach resolving conflict and an uncanny other volunteers. Then, there’s no limit to how much can be accomplished!” ability to transform naysayers and skeptics into advocates for If you’re interested in creating sustainable trails at your park, consider the neighborhood parks. steps below, adapted from IMBA’s Trail Solutions (bit.ly/imbatrails):

Although she will no longer be 1. Build support from within your community for the trail project and with Park Pride, Ayanna will talk to your city or county officials for initial permissions. continue to be an advocate for 2. Identify the park's boundaries. This is especially critical if working the greenspace movement as the Healthy Cities Director at The within a forested area where boundaries of the park are unclear. Nature Conservancy in Georgia. 3. Identify points of interest within the park that you’ll want to include We are so proud of the work along the trail, as well as areas to avoid. that she’s accomplished over her 4. Create a “rough draft” of the trail by walking and marking the route years at Park Pride, and we are using accepted trail design standards (see IMBA Trail Solutions or SCA grateful for the legacy she will Lightly on the Land). leave. Join us in thanking Ayanna for her contribution to parks and 5. Consult with Park Pride to develop a construction plan and to fully communities and wish her well on understand your project requirements, and reconfirm all permissions her new adventure! with city or county officials.

Learn more about the 6. Rally volunteers and begin construction! Friends of the Park Program: parkpride.org/friends. Contact John Ahern, Volunteer Manager, with your park project questions ([email protected]), and visit the Park Pride Calendar for information about upcoming workshops: parkpride.org/events.

parkpride.org | for the greener good 5 Park Pride's 18th Annual Parks & Greenspace Conference

Monday, March 25, 2019 | Atlanta Botanical Garden | parkpride.org/conference

According to the great urban activist and influencer, Jane Jacobs, for a park to be successful, it must “be where life swirls”—it must be the conduit for cultural present at the and artistic expression for individuals and communities, a catalyst for healthy conference living, accessible to all, and designed for all. A well-activated and well-loved park enhances quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. A great Park Pride is accepting park is a vibrant intersection, or the heart, of a community. presentation proposals for Parks are the Heart of Community. Next spring, as Park Pride celebrates its 30th anniversary, the Parks & Deadline to submit: October th parkpride.org/conference. Greenspace Conference will explore the power of parks to reflect culture, 29 at artistic expression, and the unique personality of a community, while equitably Topics of interest include: providing places to pursue healthy lives. Parks and the Arts How can we prioritize and We invite you to save the conference date—March 25, 2019—and join the encourage sustained investment parks and greenspace community as we discuss these topics at length. As the in the arts within public parks? largest event of its kind in the Southeast, this conference offers educational and How can art initiatives remain inspirational opportunities for everyone, whether you’re a community member, community-driven and reflect a park designer, a government official, or an urban planning student. each neighborhood’s creative imagination? We hope to see you there, Parks and Culture How can parks support cultural expression? How can parks increase neighborhood cohesion? Jeff Ellman Carlos Perez, Parks and Health Co-Chair, Parks & Greenspace Co-Chair, Parks & Greenspace What are the characteristics of Conference Planning Committee Conference Planning Committee parks and natural spaces that increase our well-being? How can programming encourage the use of parks to achieve healthier, safer communities? Parks and Equity What needs to happen to achieve equity in the design, creation, maintenance, and programming of our public parks? What The Parks & Greenspace Conference and tours draw over 500 passionate park enthusiasts and strategies will ensure that parks professionals from the Southeast and across the country annually. support existing neighborhoods and their aspirations? Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Jane Zoellick, Development Manager: [email protected], 404-546-6855.

6 parkviews | fall 2018 news you should know: organization updates 2018 Corporate Champions Thank you to the following organizations for their extraordinary generosity Board of Directors Park Pride is pleased in support of Park Pride’s annual operating needs and programs! to welcome Tamara Stewart of Kaiser benefactor Permanente to the Board of Directors.

Staff John Ahern, Volunteer Manager, was named the Atlanta Community ToolBank's ToolBanker sustainer crusader of the Year.

Park Visioning News Numerous studies show that an excellent park system improves Circles Visionary quality of life by promoting activator health, reducing crime, cleaning the environment, strengthening social ties, and spurring economic growth. Park Pride's visioning process is important to achieving this vision for Atlanta.

Park Pride is delighted to share that the South Atlanta Park Vision has been completed gold (available online at parkpride. org/visioning), an important milestone for the Friends of South Atlanta Park. Thank you to an anonymous funder and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta for making this achievement possible!

The Park Visioning team of silver landscape architects is nearing completion for visions of Loridans and a portion of Greenspace ® Grant Park in Atlanta, and have kicked-off the visioning process for DeKalb Memorial Park and

Needham Park in DeKalb County. Circles Supporter green Arborguard Tree Specialists Park Pride is accepting applications to the 2019 Park Visioning Program from Friends of the Park groups in Become a Champion for Parks! City of Atlanta. Please reach out to Jane Zoellick, Apply online by November 16: parkpride.org/visioning. Development Manager, to learn more. [email protected] or 404-546-6855.

Robin Aiken Homrich Berg Mark Balloun MultiCam Southeast Kirk Billings Pope & Land Real Estate C.J. Cash A small but mighty group of volunteers—including Park Pride board member, Gwen Smith (left)— joined Park Pride for a Greener Good Volunteer Day at Constitution Lakes Park, powered Joe Cronk by Invesco. Volunteers worked tirelessly to clear the park's boardwalk of "alligator weed"— an Alvarez & Marsal invasive plant that had overtaken the walkway. They hacked, sawed, pulled, and hauled the weed, Joe Finley which had grown in some places to be 12 inches thick! Jones Day You're invited to join Park Pride at two Greener Good Volunteer Days this fall. See the calendar Courtney Fletcher below and sign up online! Doosan Infracore International, Inc. Liz Gillespie North American Properties Tanya Hairston-Whitner The Home Depot Lee Harrop Westside Future Fund Matthew Hicks park pride events & deadlines Grady Health System May B. Hollis October Peachtree Garden Club 11 Park Pride's Monthly Park Meeting Barbara Levy Education Connection Advisors 20 Greener Good Volunteer Day—Volunteer Spirit— at Collier Park, powered by Habersham Garden Club David Moss PricewaterhouseCoopers 27 Workshop: Bringing Positive Activity to Your Park Kristy Rachal Georgia Power November JaKathryn Ross Georgia-Pacific 3 Greener Good Volunteer Day—Giving Thanks for Parks— on the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, powered by REI Gwendolyn Smith Invesco, Ltd. 8 Park Pride's Monthly Park Meeting Tamara C. Stewart Kaiser Permanente 16 Deadline: Atlanta Friends of the Park 2019 Park Visioning Program application deadline Esther Stokes Stokes Landscape Design Caroline Vroon December Cherokee Garden Club 13 Park Pride's Monthly Park Meeting For more information and to register, Mission To engage communities to activate the power of parks. visit parkpride.org/events

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