By Hannah E. Jones, Park Pride’s Marketing & Communications Manager Fall is in full effect in Atlanta — with the leaves changing and boasting their multi-colored glory! Not only is this a great time to get outside, but also a prime opportunity to show up for your local parks. Over at Park Pride, we’ve been […]
Author Archives: Park Pride
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Get your hands dirty for Atlanta’s parks
The power of parks can only be activated with the help of our community!
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Play is a human right: Park Pride’s roundtable highlights importance of inclusive play spaces
Play spaces with innovative designs have triple the physical activity compared to non-inclusive spaces.
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Seeing the forest through the trees: Urban forests as repositories of Biodiversity, but only if we manage them as such
By Andrew White, Director of Park Visioning – Park Pride It has been well established that the tree canopy in Atlanta needs to be protected, and there is a lot of public dialogue and discourse in protecting our City in the Forest. That being said, my recent travels to other parts of the state make […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Meet Me at The Park: Reflecting on 10 Years at Park Pride
By Michael Halicki, Executive Director This month marks my 10-year anniversary as Park Pride’s executive director. Prior to Park Pride, I was somewhat of a rolling stone gathering no moss, moving from one environmental nonprofit to the next, learning from each but never staying put for too long. I attribute my staying power in large […]
Posted inThought Leadership
A Turning Point: New Beginnings, Inspiration, and Hope
Eli Dickerson, Park Pride’s new Director of Education, has been at the organization for six months. In this contribution to People, Places, and Parks, he reflects on why he’s excited to have joined this team that has been low-key making a huge impact in Atlanta for decades.
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Doing Things Differently for Parks
By Park Pride’s Executive Director, Michael Halicki, and Director of Communications & Policy, Rachel Maher Einstein defined “insanity” as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. For far too long, this has been the story of the chronic, longstanding underfunding of Atlanta’s park system and those who sought a higher standard […]
Posted inThought Leadership
A Golden Age of Parks in Atlanta? Maybe.
There is a lot of momentum within the parks movement in Atlanta right now, so much so that it’s had me wondering whether we’re on the brink of a “golden age of parks.” For me, that manifests as having city parks that are maintained equitably and to a higher standard, well connected to communities, and […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
In Case You Missed It: The Healing Power of Parks
By Rachel Maher, Park Pride’s Director of Communications + Policy Two weeks ago, Park Pride hosted our 22nd Annual Parks & Greenspace Conference at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Together with over 400 park people from around Atlanta, Georgia, and the nation, we dug into the conference theme, The Healing Power of Parks. We concluded the […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
Atlantans Are Speaking Up for Improved Park Maintenance
By Michael Halicki, Park Pride’s Executive Director, and Rachel Maher, Director of Communications & Policy Parks are the heart of our communities. The physical and mental relief that parks provided through the pandemic was invaluable, and studies have shown that proximity to parks and greenspace promotes a healthy lifestyle that reduces stress and the risk […]
Posted inhttp://leadership.saportareport.com/people-places-parks/, People, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
Aspiring to a Higher Standard for Our Parks
by Michael Halicki, Park Pride’s Executive Director, and Rachel Maher, Director of Communications + Policy It’s 2020, and we’re at the height of the pandemic. You may recall that the question of whether parks would remain open and accessible was a very real issue during that time. When we couldn’t be inside at a restaurant […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
The Healing Power of Parks
By Rachel Maher, Park Pride’s Director of Communications & Policy The past few years have affirmed the importance of parks for our physical and mental well-being. The healing power of parks, however, goes beyond personal health. Public greenspaces are also where community bonds are formed, diverse ideas are experienced, and where cultural enrichment flourishes. We […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
Laying the Foundation for the Work Ahead
By Michael Halicki, Park Pride’s Executive Director As is often the case, the end of the year is a time of reflection and to take stock of accomplishments. Of the nearly 10 years that I’ve been the Executive Director of Park Pride, 2022 has been the most memorable, due in equal parts to the work […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
Mattie Freeland Park: Envisioned, Championed, and Built by Community
By Rachel Maher, Park Pride’s Director of Communications & Policy There are few days more gratifying at Park Pride than when a neighborhood park, years in the making, is officially opened. And few ribbon-cutting celebrations have moved me as much as the one for Mattie Freeland Park in English Avenue that took place on October […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
Enhancing the Resilience of Our Region
Reflections on the power of parks after a week at the Regional Leadership Institute By Rachel Maher, Park Pride’s Director of Communications and Policy At Park Pride, we are motivated by the philosophy of the power of parks. That is “When parks meet the needs and reflect the unique character of the communities they serve, […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
A Vision for Stronger, Greener Communities
By Teri Nye, Project Manager, Park Visioning Program at 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 […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
A New Opportunity to Move Atlanta’s Parks Forward
By Michael Halicki, Executive Director of Park Pride We know that parks bring people together; they’re where we gather with family, friends, and neighbors to play, explore, and relax. Park Pride’s vision is an Atlanta where every neighborhood has access to a great park because every community deserves to enjoy the health and wellness benefits […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
A Democratic Approach to Park Planning
By Andrew White, Park Pride’s Director of Park Visioning Parks and politics? Most people don’t see the natural connection between the two, but they are inextricably linked. Especially within the park planning process, which is something that I think a lot about in my role as the Director of Park Visioning at Park Pride. As […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
Don’t Tap the Breaks: A Call to Increase the Parks Budget
By Michael Halicki, Executive Director of Park Pride It should be no surprise that I love parks. Parks are good for people and the communities of which they’re a part. They’re foundational for the health of local wildlife and habitats, and function as critical urban infrastructure by absorbing stormwater runoff, cooling ambient temperatures, providing the […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leadership
The Giant Puzzle of Connecting Atlanta to the Chattahoochee
By Andrew White, Park Pride’s Director of Park Visioning Atlanta’s relationship with the Chattahoochee has always been complicated and multifaceted. Historically a corridor of trade between the Cherokee and Muscogee people, the river was given over to industry after European colonization for manufacturing, power production, and disposal of waste. Some of these industries, notoriously Chattahoochee […]
