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Two weeks ago, Park Pride hosted our 22nd Annual Parks & Greenspace Conference at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Together with over 400 park people from around Atlanta, Georgia, and the nation, we dug into the conference theme, The Healing Power of Parks. We concluded the day inspired and energized to engage in our parks to heal ourselves, our communities, and our city. In addition to three keynote speakers, 14 breakout sessions led by nearly 50 industry and community leaders covered topics ranging from proper methods of invasive plant species management, to mindfulness in nature, policies that advance equitable access to parks, case studies of transformative park projects, and more. Below, Park Pride staff provide highlights and brief recaps of some sessions they attended.

SOURCE: Saporta Report

The City of Atlanta is home to 447 parks and, as a result, 77% of residents can walk to a local greenspace within 10 minutes. That number is significantly higher than the national average of 55 percent. While this is a great feat, local leaders must still work to ensure that these spaces are activated and well maintained — a major topic of discussion at Park Pride’s recent 22nd annual Parks and Greenspace Conference.

SOURCE: Saporta Report

Park Pride hosted its 22nd annual Parks and Greenspace Conference this week, with about 450 government officials, local leaders and park enthusiasts filling the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The theme was “The Healing Power of Parks,” with speakers exploring the importance of park access and use from the perspective of health, community, policy and more.

SOURCE: Saporta Report

Budget season is underway at City Hall. And the nonprofit Park Pride is urging city officials and the public to be thinking “maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.”

SOURCE: Axios

Park advocates are calling on the Atlanta City Council to invest more money into park maintenance, specifically for smaller, neighborhood parks. “I think there is some inequity just in terms of how the parks are taken care of,” said Denzel Peoples, who lives in southwest Atlanta near Perkerson Park.

SOURCE: Atlanta News First

On the eve of its annual conference, Park Pride announced a $12.8 million capital campaign – its first-ever multi-year comprehensive effort. “Coming out of the pandemic, we are doing some of our best work,” said Michael Halicki, Park Pride’s executive director for nearly a decade. “We are meeting the moment where people have come to appreciate the importance of parks where they live. Our mission is to engage communities to activate the power of parks.”

SOURCE: Saporta Report

The benefits of a great park system are what has motivated Atlantans from across the city to join Park Pride in demanding an increase in the FY2024 budget to maintain these amenities which have been undervalued for far too long. Throughout February, Park Pride attended Atlanta City Council’s Community Development/Human Services (CDHS) committee meetings to advocate for a larger budget for park maintenance within the Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR). Community members have shared their personal experiences and stories of how the underfunding of parks has negatively impacted their quality of life. In this Saporta Report article, Michael Halicki, Executive Director, and Rachel Maher, Director of Communications + Policy, share these perspectives.

SOURCE: Saporta Report