Meet Nick Stephens, one of this summer’s Park Visioning interns! He is currently a masters student at Georgia Tech in City and Regional Planning. Nick was born and raised in Atlanta, went to undergrad in New York, and then moved home and has been working in Atlanta for the last eight years.
“Communities must be able to influence how their parks look and feel, because no one knows the area
and its needs better than the people who live there.“ ~ Nick Stephens
When Nick is not preparing for public meetings, he likes to play sports, read, garden, and hang out with friends. His favorite park activities include playing sports, bike riding, picnicking, and cloud and tree gazing. He daydreams about massive park and transit infrastructure improvements. Nick’s passion for parks and community engagement makes him a perfect for for the Park Pride Visioning team, and we’re so thankful to have him on board this summer!
Learn more about Nick through our short interview below.
Why are parks important?
Parks provide a communal space for people to recreate, relax and experience the living world. Without parks, where would people go to experience those things? At the same time, parks protect and enhance the natural environment. They are absolutely essential to a happy, healthy society.
Park Pride’s mission is “to engage communities to activate the power of parks.” In what ways are parks powerful?
Parks provide so much, whether within an urban context or more broadly. They are often the heart of a city, a unifying source of strength for both the community and for an area’s natural ecosystem. They help keep people healthy, while also cleaning the surrounding air and water.
Why is it important for communities to have a voice in their parks?
Communities must be able to influence how their parks look and feel, because no one knows the area and its needs better than the people who live there.
What part of your position with Park Pride are you enjoying the most?
Seeing the range of Atlanta’s parks and parts of town I’m not too familiar with and learning from people who care about improving their parks and communities.