Park Pride’s recent slate of grant awards is different than past years’. Beyond the size of the total awards ($2.3M) and the changes to our Grantmaking Program that focus more squarely on equity, we gained important knowledge through this grant cycle about the communities we serve, the changing landscape of Atlanta, and the future of Park Pride.
Read more in our monthly contribution to “People, Places, and Parks” in Saporta Report.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced Wednesday that he will have a Greenspace Advisory Council to help guide city policy when it comes to its parks and natural areas. The Council, which Dickens referred to as his “green cabinet,” includes 13 environmentally-focused nonprofits that serve the city and the Atlanta region.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
What a year! Though 2021 certainly had its challenges, it was also a year of promise and success—and that is especially true for Park Pride. We are pleased to present you with this Impact Report to share the stories and triumphs that you helped make possible. Together, we’ve laid the foundation for a 2022 that is shaping up to be like none other in the organization’s history. What can you expect? A stronger Park Pride. Expanded access to greenspace in neighborhoods across the city. Healthier parks (with less privet!). More united and resilient neighborhoods. It is no exaggeration that we could not do our work without you: our donors, funders, partners, volunteers, and Friends of the Park group members. Thank you for your support.
SOURCE: Park Pride
As we continue to live amid a global health crisis—and assuredly will continue to do so for the foreseeable future—the role of parks and other outdoor spaces has never been more important. We know that parks are critical urban infrastructure; we’ve experienced the truly essential services they provide that impact our everyday quality of life. And it’s about time that we begin to treat them as such. Which begs the question: can pre-pandemic design, management, and funding strategies keep pace with the increased reliance we have on parks? What comes next? Join us at Park Pride’s 2022 Parks & Greenspace Conference to explore these questions with thought leaders from Atlanta and across the country!
SOURCE: Saporta Report
At first glance, the Board of Park Commissioners Minute Books for Atlanta may seem ordinary, even inconsequential. Yet, these resources hold significant information, reflecting the intersectionality of race, gender, and class in urban spaces during the early 20th century. Minute books are the written record of what is said and done in meetings. Their contents reveal the discussions and decisions of the park commissioners, an all-white, male governmental body, during part of the Jim Crow era. These minute books are part of the records donated by Park Pride (MSS 1158) to the Cherokee Garden Library collection of Kenan Research Center.
SOURCE: Atlanta History Center
The City of Atlanta recently adopted a new comprehensive plan to advance parks and recreation. In this Saporta Report contribution to “People, Places, and Parks,” Park Pride’s Executive Director, Michael Halicki, shares his excitement for the plan and highlights several priorities that will increase access to great parks across the city.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
Typically, December is a time to reflect over the last year and take stock of what we have accomplished. But with three major wins for Atlanta parks occurring in the past few weeks, Park Pride is now fully focused on the opportunities that lie ahead! Check out Park Pride’s final contribution to Saporta Report in 2021, closing out the year by highlighting THREE MAJOR wins for parks!
SOURCE: Saporta Report
Second grade students at Sarah Smith Elementary School’s Primary Campus have been working hard over the past year. Partnering with professional landscape architects at Park Pride and The Trust for Public Land, these young creatives have collaborated on a design process to create a mural that reflects and celebrates the school’s diversity and to select new site amenities that will be enjoyed by the surrounding community.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
