Say hello to Chanté Lively, Park Pride’s Community Building Intern for Fall 2020! Chanté is a senior marine biology major with minors in Spanish and Global Engagement at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. But this semester, she’s doing her classes virtually due to COVID-19. When Chanté discovered the Park Pride internship and its … Continue Reading →
Kimberly Elementary, a participant in the Atlanta Community Schoolyards initiative, is officially under construction for an updated schoolyard! The updates include an ADA-accessible walkway, new play equipment, a pavilion, and open lawn. This means that the surrounding community is one step closer to having access to a park-like space for … Continue Reading →
Michael Halicki, Executive Director of Park Pride, discusses the evolutions COVID-19 has had on Atlanta-based non-profits to engage local communities in activating the power of parks on a metropolitan scale.
SOURCE: COVID Conversations
Download PDF Press Release Park Pride’s Annual Inspiration Awards honor leaders who inspire others to expand and improve public parks and greenspaces, work to raise awareness about critical, system-wide park issues, and demonstrate a profound commitment to strengthening the connection between parks and their surrounding community. 2020 Inspiration Award Honorees Sofia Bork Friends of Sara … Continue Reading →
Four more Atlanta school playgrounds will be redesigned to go from recess to neighborhood recreation. The Atlanta Community Schoolyards project is an effort to transform school playgrounds into public parks that serve students during the school day and are open to residents after the final bell rings and on weekends. Students get to help redesign the spaces, and donations will pay for about $110,000 in construction upgrades at each site. The goal is to create more accessible green space across the city — parks that residents can enjoy within a short walk of their homes.
SOURCE: Atlanta Journal Constitution
In this column for Saporta Report’s “People, Places, and Parks,” Executive Director, Michael Halicki highlights changes coming to Park Pride’s grant programs to make them more equitable.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
The City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation has launched a comprehensive master planning effort, ActivateATL: Recreation and Parks for All! During this challenging time and beyond, the Department of Parks and Recreation is committed to building a better parks and recreation system that meets the needs of all Atlantans. Now is your … Continue Reading →
“While many of us have perhaps never thought of parks and recreation centers as critical infrastructure, that is, in fact, the exact the purpose for which they were originally created. While the modern idea of parks has become associated with playgrounds, baseball fields, and park benches, parks in America actually began as an initiative to improve public health during past pandemics and increase urban resiliency.” In this month’s contribution to the Saporta Report’s “People, Places, and Parks,” Executive Director, Michael Halicki shares the major lesson from the COVID-19 health crisis and that parks are not all just fun and games.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
Atlanta continues to make steady progress in its “ParkScore,” according to the Trust for Public Land’s annual index among the nation’s top 100 cities. The 2020 ParkScore index showed Atlanta placing 40th nationally – up two spots from last year’s score of 42. Its rank is a marked improvement from 2013, when it placed 65th; or from 2015, when its score was 70th.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
We know parks play a vital role in our wellness as places where we’re able to connect with nature close to home. Those who make it possible to continue to visit our local parks—that is, the staff and essential workers of our local departments of parks and recreation—deserve our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for their service and sacrifices during this difficult time.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
