Upgrade Neighborhood Parks to serve as focal points and vibrant public spaces for neighbors. There are key opportunities in each community. •
Reclaim excess asphalt at the three-way intersection of Cherry, Magnolia, and Spring streets adjacent to Bernd Park, extending the green space such that the Spring Street block face and sidewalk aligns with the blocks above Cherry and below Magnolia. Upgrade the park as a neighborhood park with new floral plantings, shaded seating, and elements that give the park some personality, drawing neighbors in rather than letting them continue to pass by this passive space. Take cues from the work projects accomplished by neighbors through the Friends of Tattnall Square Park.
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Support continued investments in Tattnall Square. The Friends of Tattnall Square have done a remarkable job to organize park improvements and leverage partnerships with Mercer University and the City. What was an overlooked park is now an important destination for College Hill, Beall’s Hill and the region. Support and celebrate continued improvements and programming.
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Improve the Booker T. Washington Recreation Center. This resource has long been an important amenity for Pleasant Hill. To maximize its potential, improvements are necessary to ensure the facility and programming fully engage and support local youth and families.
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Create new open spaces in the Main Street neighborhood. There are no public parks in this community, and strong boundaries such as high-traffic roads make accessing nearby parks difficult. MAP identifies two initial opportunities for green space: 1) As a part of the Clinton Street improvements to enhance access to the Indian Mounds, establish a “stormwater park” between Clinton and Schell to serve as a beautiful and passive entrance to the community; and 2) Repurpose the lawn in front of the Family Investment Center as an active orchard maintained organized by local youth and families. Community members and local youth highlighted the need for youth educational and recreational programming and play space during a community dinner and early planning session for the Arts Village.
HOW IT’S DONE ELSEWHERE: Sister Cities Park, Philadelphia, PA.
www.ccdparks.org/sister-cities-park
Sister Cities Park covers 1.3 acres in Philadelphia and features a café, children’s discovery garden, playground, and fountain. Despite its location next to a busy roundabout, it offers an oasis that is open and intimate at the same time. This 5.1 million dollar park received funding from the Knight Foundation.
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Macon Action Plan
Poplar Yards Upgrade the landscaping and programming at the Poplar Yards. Given that the fountains are not functioning, the City should determine whether or not it is feasible to turn them on again and maintain them as fountains. If not, they should fill them with soil and convert them to planters so they once again become an amenity to the park. In addition to the fountains, the grass in the median has bled into the gravel pathways making the park circulation indistinguishable from the lawn areas. To make the design of the park easier to maintain, the existing gravel should be replaced with concrete or pavers to restore the intended circulation patterns. Some of the larger passive lawn areas, such as along the winding path between 3rd street and MLK, are underutilized. By incorporating a landscape destination, such as a butterfly garden, residents would not only have something that is more beautiful, they would be attracting more users to the park. As for programming upgrades, the seating underneath the pavilions is a little too rigid and uncomfortable. By replacing the formal layout of the benches with flexible seating options, such as picnic tables, movable furniture (as in Strategy 2.2a) and community grills, nearby residents would be able to take advantage of the shade structures for informal gatherings and family events. Other ways to activate the Yards include incorporating a rotating outdoor gallery for public art near the concrete symbolic ‘hay bails’ between First and Second streets, providing informal play spaces, inviting food trucks, and fencing in a small dog run equipped with waste stations. Signage that includes the name “Poplar Street Yards” with a bit of background on the site will also help promote the uniqueness of this space in the near term.