By Hannah E. Jones After decades of work, the City of Atlanta has officially secured nine acres bordering the Chattahoochee River in Riverside, creating Atlanta’s newest natural oasis — Lower Paul Park. Any chance to get away from the bustle of the city is exciting, but the folks in Riverside know this park represents something […]
Tag: Park Pride
Posted inLatest News
Reporter’s Notebook: Polo Ralph Lauren introduces new collection and film based on Morehouse, Spelman’s historic heritage
The SaportaReport team would like to take a moment to honor former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell. He was elected as Atlanta’s 53rd mayor in 1970, becoming the first Jewish person to hold the office. He was a strong proponent for diversity within city leadership when the political landscape was white-dominated and laid the foundations that made MARTA […]
Posted inLatest News
‘Green Cabinet’ to advise Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens on parks and greenspace
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced Wednesday that he will have a Greenspace Advisory Council to help guide city policy when it comes to its parks and natural areas.
Posted inColumns
Seeking greater green equity – Woodruff Foundation and Park Pride
Thanks to a longstanding partnership between Park Pride and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Atlanta is creating a more equitable park system that will better serve the city’s lower-income communities.
Posted inColumns
A ‘Green Cabinet’ for Atlanta: keeping our parks, greenspace healthy and safe
What a confluence. The issue of public safety in Atlanta’s parks rose to the surface this past 10 days with two horrific events.
Posted inLatest News
Atlanta’s ParkScore ranking drops to 49th from 40th
Atlanta did not fare too well in the Trust for Public Land’s 2021 ParkScore ranking. Of the 100 major U.S. cities, Atlanta ranked 49th compared to 40th last year.
Posted inThought Leadership
Local Parks: A Critical Part of a More Just and Equitable Society
By Michael Halicki, Park Pride Executive Director As our world has been thrown into chaos through a public health crisis and with racial injustice at the forefront, parks are among the few places people can go to achieve some semblance of balance, normalcy, and sanctuary. Or, at least that should be the case. Too often, […]
Posted inThought Leadership
Parks: Not Just Fun and Games
Featured Image: Parks are critical infrastructure that build the resilience of cities and people, especially in times of crisis. By Michael Halicki, Park Pride’s Executive Director It’s June: the unofficial beginning of summer. In a normal year, we’d be looking forward to this season with excitement, with kids enjoying a break from school, families planning […]
Posted inThought Leadership
Showing Appreciation for All Parks and Recreation Workers
By Michael Halicki We know parks play a vital role in our wellness as places where we’re able to connect with nature close to home. During this COVID-19 pandemic, as more and more Atlantans visit neighborhood parks and trails to enjoy the benefits of sunshine and fresh air, the importance of parks has never been more […]
Posted inThought Leadership
Should you be visiting your local park?
By Michael Halicki, Park Pride Executive Director You know it’s a strange time when an empty neighborhood park playground brings me a measure of comfort. On Sunday morning, Ormond-Grant Park was silent and empty, except for the sounds of nature. Absent were the usual gaggle of children running to and fro, the peals of laughter […]
Posted inThought Leadership
Mattie Freeland Park: Placekeeping in a rapidly changing neighborhood
By Andrew White, Park Pride’s Director of Park Visioning Much has been written about the differences between placemaking and placekeeping. To the uninitiated, the two can appear very similar. Both use art and cultural activities to make high-quality changes to the physical environment. Both involve a participatory process with community and local organizations, and both […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
Giving thanks for the uplifting moments in our lives
Recently it has felt as though I’ve been spending too much of my energies complaining and worrying about the current state of affairs.
So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I began to count our blessings, and I realized there are so many that they won’t all fit in one column.
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Everyone Deserves Access to a Quality Park!
A Short Recap from the 18th Annual Parks & Greenspace Conference By Michael Halicki, Executive Director, Park Pride Park Pride’s annual Parks and Greenspace Conference has become a rite of spring for all who care about parks, greenspace, and trails. Park enthusiasts gathered in great numbers at the Atlanta Botanical Garden to hear inspiring speakers […]
Posted inUncategorized
When the Kids Are Away, Let the Public Play
George Dusenbury, State Director for The Trust for Public Land in Georgia Rachel Sprecher, Executive Director in the Office of Partnerships and Development, Atlanta Public Schools Parks strengthen communities and improve public health while cleaning the water we need and the air we breathe. But in cities like Atlanta, with a dense urban core and […]
Posted inUncategorized
From Snow Piles to Worm Rescues: A Child’s Connection to Nature
by Rachel Maher, Park Pride’s Marketing + Communications Manager Recently, Tina Arnold, Park Pride’s Director of Community Building, asked a gathering of board and staff what “made you ‘go green’?” She wanted us to share the moment that we discovered our connection to nature. Growing up in Buffalo, New York, I have an incredibly distinct […]
Posted inUncategorized
Where Life Swirls…
Rachel Maher, Park Pride’s Communications Manager “A successful park is ‘where life swirls.’” ~Jane Jacobs Is there a better quote that so simply, yet vividly, describes a vibrant, lively, and well-loved park? A park “where life swirls” is a park that is welcoming to all members of the community. It is where you’ll find people […]
Posted inLatest News
Park Pride investing $864,000 in parks in Atlanta and DeKalb
By Maria Saporta Park Pride announced today that it is granting a total of $864,000 to 21 community groups in Atlanta and DeKalb County to fund capital park improvements. According to a news release, that means that since 2004, Park Pride has awarded more than $6.6 million to projects that include new playgrounds, bridges and […]
Posted inhttp://leadership.saportareport.com/people-places-parks/, People, Places & Parks, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Is Better Health Your New Year’s Resolution? Read This.
By Michael Halicki, Executive Director, Park Pride For many people, the new year brings with it the resolve to get fit, get healthy, and adopt a more active lifestyle. Sound familiar? Perhaps you’re planning to hit the gym, buy organic, or dust off your sneakers and pick up jogging. While all of these are great […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
#YesOnOne: Vote YES for the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment
Michael Halicki, Executive Director of Park Pride Tuesday November 6th is Election Day, and the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment (GOSA) is the first amendment on the ballot. I am writing to encourage you, one final time, to vote YES on Amendment 1. By voting yes, you will be saying yes to protecting Georgia’s waters […]
Posted inSubmitted Photos
Photo Pick: Old Man by the Fountain at Woodruff Park by Michael Halicki
Last Wednesday, October 10th, was National Walk to a Park day! Michael Halicki, Executive Director of Park Pride, shares this photo from Woodruff Park where staff from Park Pride and Trust for Public Land met up to mark the occasion.
