Newsroom

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

In December 2021, Atlanta City Council adopted Activate ATL, a 10-year comprehensive plan for parks and recreation that presents an extraordinary vision for an equitable, connected, and activated park system—a robust and well-maintained system that provides health benefits to all residents. But momentum in pursuit of that vision has been frustrated by inertia and barriers. In this contribution to Saporta Report’s “People, Places, and Parks,” Park Pride’s Michael Halicki and Rachel Maher discuss the need for an increased budget for park to aspire to the park system that Atlantans deserve.

SOURCE: Saporta Report

Local leaders, park enthusiasts and area residents filled Reynoldstown’s Lang-Carson Park on Saturday, Jan. 28 to celebrate the latest round of major improvements to the park. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted by the Friends of Lang-Carson Park, a group of residents dedicated to improving the local greenspace.

SOURCE: Saporta Report

With the start of the new year, Park Pride — a nonprofit working with communities to improve parks around the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County — opened registration for its Friends of the Park (FoP) program. Through this initiative, Park Pride empowers residents to invest in and activate their neighborhood parks, using an inclusive, collaborative and personalized approach.

SOURCE: Saporta Report

The past few years have affirmed the importance of parks for our physical and mental well-being. The healing power of parks, however, goes beyond personal health. Public greenspaces are also where community bonds are formed, diverse ideas are experienced, and where cultural enrichment flourishes. We also look to parks to heal and strengthen the urban environment—to manage stormwater, reduce flooding, cool and filter the air, and provide natural habitat. At Park Pride’s 2023 Parks & Greenspace Conference (taking place on Monday, March 27 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden), we’ll discuss all this and more while exploring “The Healing Power of Parks.”

SOURCE: Saporta Report