New parks to bring greenspace, amenities to Westside

The Westside will soon have plenty of extra greenspace for walking the pooch, picnicking or just taking a stroll.

The Upper Westside Improvement District has hired Russell Landscaping to begin work on the corner of Northside Drive and 17th Street, which will be transformed into a 4.5-acre community greenspace called The Waterworks in honor of its location next door to the city reservoir.

The park is on the eastern edge of the Atlanta City Water Works Hemphill Reservoir, and Friends of Atlanta Waterworks Park has long championed the corner as public greenspace. The Upper Westside Improvement District worked with the city and former Atlanta City Council Member Yolanda Adrean and the Department of Watershed Management to clean up and reclaim the area, with support from Park Pride and neighborhood leaders.

“We are thrilled to be underway creating a safe and beautiful space along one of the highest profile corridors on the Westside,” said Elizabeth Hollister, Executive Director, UWID. “We have been compiling community input for what people would like to see there, and this is the first step towards realizing their vision.”

The former Boone Park West in the English Avenue community has been officially renamed Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park. Johnston, 92, was killed by members of the Atlanta Police Department who used an illegal “no knock warrant” at her home on nearby Neal Street in 2006.

The new community park is part of The Conservation Fund’s national Parks with Purpose program that provide a safe place for kids to play and families to gather, workforce training and employment for area residents, reduce flooding by capturing and absorbing stormwater, support environmental education opportunities, and grow healthy food by incorporating edible landscaping. Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park is the third in a series of parks proposed in the Proctor Creek North Avenue Green Infrastructure Vision to address stormwater runoff. Also in August, the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and NFL Foundation held a groundbreaking ceremony on a $2 million renovation of John F. Kennedy Park on the Westside. The renovations to the park will include a turf playing surface, walking path, Fit-Trail exercise system, new playground equipment, basketball court and picnic pavilion.

Chastain Park Conservancy will host its 5th annual benefit concert Rock Chastain 2018 on Oct. 4 at State Bank Chastain Park Amphitheater with headliners 10,000 Maniacs. For tickets and information, visit chastainparkconservancy.org.

The Live Thrive Atlanta Board of Directors will host its annual fundraiser to support the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center on Oct. 4. A CHaRM’ing Evening includes a performance from Yacht Rock Revue and the opportunity to win a 2018 BMW i3 from Global Imports BMW. For tickets and information, visit charmbmw.org.

Historic Oakland Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign to raise $1 million dollars to preserve the tree canopy at Oakland Cemetery. Since 1982, Oakland Cemetery has lost approximately half of its tree canopy due to drought and climate change, pollution, lightning strikes, old age, diseases, pests and other causes. Sick and dying trees pose a risk not only to visitor safety but also to historic monuments and healthy trees within the cemetery. To make a contribution, visit oaklandcemetery.com/trees.

Solarize Atlanta has extended the sign-up deadline to Oct. 31 for Atlanta homeowners interested in participating in the solar bulk-purchasing program. Solarize Atlanta is a joint project of Central Atlanta Progress, Environment Georgia, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, Livable Buckhead, the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Solar CrowdSource and their competitively selected solar installers, Creative Solar USA and Hannah Solar. The program offers Atlanta residents who sign up at solarizeatl.com a free solar evaluation and access to vetted materials and discounted prices for installation.

Atlanta Audubon has been awarded an Audubon in Action grant from National Audubon Society for on-the-ground conservation and equity, diversity and inclusiveness work in city. As part of the grant, Atlanta Audubon will partner with the Greening Youth Foundation to create an annual internship opportunity for a young adult. In addition, Atlanta Audubon will work with Washington Park to install a birdfriendly native plant demonstration garden.

Atlanta has maintained its standing at third place on the annual U.S. Green Building Adoption Index by CBRE and Maastricht University, marking its fifth consecutive appearance in the Top 5. Atlanta has risen two spots since the study’s inception when Atlanta ranked fifth. The city has experienced a broad-based movement towards green certification with 58.43 percent of all space now certified, a six percent increase from the prior year.

Festival Gates Open 5:45

NOVEMBER 1-3, 2018

October 1-31

November 1-3

One-Day Pass: $35* One-Day Pass: $40* Weekend Pass: $60* Weekend Pass: $70*

Three-Day Pass: $80* Three-Day Pass: $90*

*Tax and processing fee not included. No outside food, beverage or coolers allowed in the Mountain lm Festival Gates. No pets allowed. Rain or shine event. Ticket purchases are non-refundable.

We are proud to announce our acceptance into the membership of goBeyondProfit because of our work with, and in, the communities in which we live and work. Thank you for your support!

Our One Warm Coat Drive starts October 1st! Start going through your closets and drawers! We’d love to receive your clean, gently worn (or new) coats, sweaters, scarfs, gloves and hats!

Our Toys For Tots Drive will run from November 15th- December 15th! Unwrapped, new toys will find deserving children this Holiday Season!

We are actively looking to expand. Come join these, and many others, as we provide Atlanta-area buyers and sellers with exemplary service and expertise.

Our real estate Family: