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

SOURCE: Saporta Report