On September 23, neighbors in northwest Atlanta gathered at the Sara J. González Park. On this day (the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month!), they were not gathering for a lesson in the learning nook, an interfaith prayer vigil, nor a cultural festival. Instead, they were there to celebrate a new youth soccer field, funded by a $50,000 grant from Park Pride!
If you’ve ever watched a bunch of ants working out how to reach the sugar water dripping from a hummingbird feeder suspended high above their heads, you were probably amazed by their ingenuity and tireless pursuit of their goal. How will they ever attain something so far out of their individual reach? They do it (faster than you’d imagine) with a network of fellow ants—with their community. In this Saporta Report article, Park Pride’s Teri Nye discusses how communities are coming together to demand multifunctional parks, and why two parks in particular were selected to receive park design assistance through the Park Visioning Program.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
Park Pride’s vision is an Atlanta where every neighborhood has access to a great park. However, through the public engagement process that informed Activate ATL, we learned that some Atlantans feel discouraged from visiting parks due to maintenance issues and past-due upgrades. To address this challenge, Park Pride is exploring opportunities to pair public and private dollars and approach park improvements comprehensively–following through on both large and small upgrades concurrently–to transform underutilized parks into welcoming and activated community greenspaces.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
It began with a dream. DeKalb County resident Gabbie Atsepoyi wanted more usable greenspace in her neighborhood that could be enjoyed by all members of the community. She wondered whether a forested, overgrown stream between her house and Columbia Elementary School could be transformed into a nature trail that would serve as the perfect outdoor … Continue Reading →
On July 13, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, District 12 Council Member Antonio Lewis, Parks & Recreation leadership, Friends of Pittman Park, Park Pride, and Pittsburg neighborhood residents celebrated refreshed and refurbished amenities in Pittman Park. Park Pride proudly supported these improvements through our Grantmaking Program, with over $150,000 in awards (over two grant cycles) which funded a joint basketball/volleyball court, picnic tables, playground equipment, and a memorial bench.
As public spaces, parks are inherently political, each with its own hidden minefield of competing interests that come to light when working with communities to build consensus around a shared vision for their neighborhood park. However, this park planning process doesn’t have to be divisive, as much of politics are. On the contrary, when park planning fully engages the community (as we have experienced through Park Pride’s longstanding Park Visioning Program), it is not only democratic and fair, but it can actually strengthen communities. Read more in this month’s contribution to Saporta Report.
SOURCE: Saporta Report
Say hello to Noor Jaleel, a Park Pride summer intern supporting our community building efforts! Noor has been working directly with Friends of the Park groups across Atlanta, facilitating our annual check-ins. With her help, Park Pride has identified the needs of Friends groups and evaluated program success. We’re thrilled to have her on board. … Continue Reading →
Local businesses and corporations support Park Pride’s mission year-round, making a big impact on Atlanta’s local parks. Corporate groups can tap into team building opportunities such as custom, private volunteer projects to address urgent park needs while supercharging employee engagement.
Despite overlapping layers of natural, cultural, and historical meaning, City of Atlanta residents have had no direct access to the Chattahoochee River via public parks or trails, nor to the health and wellness benefits that such amenities provide. Only recently is that beginning to change thanks to a collaborative effort between Park Pride, the community, partner nonprofits, and local government.
This spring, Park Pride announced its largest grant cycle in history: $2.3 million for capital improvements to local parks! Established in 2004, Park Pride’s Grantmaking Program awards funding to community groups seeking to revitalize their neighborhood greenspaces. It is designed to support Friends of the Park groups taking on larger projects as they grow and … Continue Reading →
