Newspaper Page Text
A
ON THE
AGENDA
A8
, 26
MEETINGS
The Atlanta City Council meets Oct. 2 and
Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave.
Information: citycouncil.atlantaga.gov.
The Atlanta School Board meets Oct. 9
at 2:30 p.m. fora community meeting at
6:30 p.m. at 130 Trinity Ave. Information:
atlantapublicschools.us.
NEWS
MARTA general manager and CEO Keith
Parker has stepped down to become
president and CEO of Goodwill of North
Georgia. Elizabeth O'Neill has been
named interim general manager and CEO
of MARTA.
A new bronze statue of Martin Luther
King Jr., sculpted by artist Martin Dawe,
was unveiled on the lawn of the State
Capital grounds
Work is
underway
on the new
state judicial
complex on
the site of
the former
Georgia Archives building in Downtown.
The $105 million building will house the
newly expanded Georgia Supreme Court
and Georgia Court of Appeals.
The Atlanta City Council voted Aug. 21
to establish a seven-member advisory
committee to review and make
recommendations on all city street names
and monuments associated with the
Confederacy.
The Atlanta
Super Bowl
Ull Host
Committee
has
unveiled its
official logo.
The red and
gray logo incorporates an aerial view of
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which will host
the Super Bowl on Feb. 3,2019. QD
~
Namtorium
MLKJi
By Isadora Pennington
Adanta media recently got a tour and
update on the progress of two big city
projects: Westside Reservoir Park and the
Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation and
Aquatic Center.
The former Bellwood Quarry site is
being transformed into the city’s new
reservoir and a giant 280-acre park
connected to the Atlanta BeltLine. The
recreation center, located in the Old
Fourth Ward, is the much-anticipated
replacement for the old MLK Jr.
Natatorium.
FTere’s a closer look at both projects.
Commissioner Amy Phuong at
the new MLK Jr. Recreation &
Aquatic Center.
Photos by Isadora Pennington
Westside Reservoir Park
Located about a mile west of Midtown, the old granite quarry site has been drained
of its shimmery blue water as a giant boring machine inches toward the Chattahoochee
River, which will eventually fill the reservoir with 2 billion gallons of water.
The future Westside Reservoir Park will include a 4,000 square foot grand overlook
spot with views of the reservoir and paths to the Beltline. From the overlook, visitors will
be able to appreciate the full scope of the quarry, the majesty of its rocky walls and the
city skyline looming on the horizon.
“We are very ambitious over here,” said Amy Phuong, Commissioner of the Atlanta
Parks & Recreation Department, during the Sept. 7 tour. “As we grow to 1.2 million
residents, how do we connect folks to nature?”
The park, which will be developed in phases, has an initial opening date set for 2019.
Their final plans will incorporate an upper and lower meadow, and the department plans
to use community feedback as they develop the park. For now, issues of transportation,
safety and funds for development are at the forefront of the planners’ minds.
“We want people to have their own experiences,” said Phuong, noting that engaging
with the community is crucial to creating a beneficial park for those who frequent it.
Beyond preparing the area for visitors, the department has also enlisted the help of
arborists to establish which trees are native species and which are invasive. Everything —
from the layout of the paths to the designs of the gates — will be thoughtfully curated in
an attempt to infuse art and nature in practical ways throughout the property.
MLK jr. Recreation and Aquatic Center
Meanwhile, on the other side of town in Sweet Auburn,
the 64,000-square-feet Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation and
Aquatic Center is a huge undertaking.
The facility will feature a zero entry pool, swim programs,
football, softball, volleyball, space for traditional gym
equipment, locker and shower rooms, a running track, a
computer lounge, gathering spaces, a senior center and even a
24’ climbing wall.
The building itself is the length of a football field, and
has a maximum capacity of 1,800 people, with a pool large
enough to accommodate up to 380 bathers at a time. The
land was gifted to the department by its previous owner, the
Atlanta FTousing Authority, which has made this ambitious
plan possible.
The center has, at its heart, a mission to meet the needs
of the surrounding community. “We’ve never had a space this
comprehensive,” Phuong said, gesturing at the long hallway
which will someday soon be bustling with visitors. With accessibility in mind, the facility aims to remain a financially viable option for
guests by keeping fees low: admission will be only $5 a day, and yearly passes will be roughly $10 per month.
To keep up with progress on these projects and more, visit the website at atlantaga.gov (search under parks and recreation) or follow
them on social media via facebook.com/AtlantaDPRCA. \m
8 October 2017 | HU
AtlantalNtownPaper.com