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Axios
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Bike lanes, pickleball courts and more trees planned for Piedmont Park
The look and feel of Piedmont Park will evolve significantly over the next decade as the nonprofit that manages one of Atlanta's most popular green spaces plans to add paths, trees, courts and play areas. Why it matters: While the park looks good in its current state, "it could look great," Piedmont Park Conservancy president and CEO Doug Widener told Axios in a phone interview. "Someone said you could do whatever you wanted to but get the basics right first," he said. Driving the news: That was the running theme of the feedback the conservancy heard throughout the process of updating its 10-year comprehensive plan, which was released Thursday during its 28th Annual Landmark Luncheon, the organization's largest fundraising event. This year marks the first time the park's comprehensive plan was updated in 25 years. What they're saying:"It feels it's great to see all the great ideas and feedback we've gotten now translate into real ideas that we'll be able to implement over the next months and years," Widener told Axios, adding the park gets over 6 million visitors each year. "We're excited to release it, and we're even more excited to get started on making it real." Zoom in: The updated comprehensive plan calls for installing more than 6 miles of paths for pedestrians, designated trails and sidewalks for walkers and runners, access routes for service vehicles and dedicated lanes for scooter riders and bicyclists. Renovations are also planned in what the conservancy calls the park's " active oval," including new basketball and pickleball courts, three new courts in the sand volleyball area, new soccer and ballfields and play and picnic areas at Noguchi Playscape and Mayor's Grove. Lake Clara Meer will be dredged to improve its appearance and water quality. Expansion: The conservancy also plans to expand northeast to the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and Monroe Drive, the area it calls the Commons. Projects include creating an entry plaza with concessions and restroom buildings, passive recreation areas, lawns to host picnics, two new playgrounds and a rock scramble. More trees, please: Boosting Piedmont Park's tree canopy is also part of the plan. The conservancy on Thursday rolled out its Seeds for the Future initiative, which will survey the health of the park's 3,000 trees and the eventual planting of hundreds more. The fine print: Other plans include improving entrances, restrooms, water fountains and building what it calls the Clear Creek Walk, which will provide an alternate path through the park tree canopy that steers clear of crowds using the Beltline. Councilmember Alex Wan, whose district includes the park, told Axios he's excited about the conservancy's "ambitious" plan. "I think there's something in it for everybody, no matter how you use the park," he said. " If you like coming for concerts or festivals or if you just like coming and strolling through ... there's a piece of the new plan for you." What's next: The project's first phase, which Widener said could cost between $50 million and $75 million to implement, includes assessing the health of the park's trees, will begin this year.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Piedmont Park Conservancy reveals renovation plans for iconic Atlanta greenspace
Piedmont Park is getting ready to create more greenspace and more places for people to enjoy the park. The Piedmont Park Conservancy CEO Doug Widener, took Channel 2's Jorge Estevez for an early look at some of the renovations planned for the area. With $3 million worth of initial renovations, Piedmont Park is ready to kick off the work, but the best part about it for the organization is that the feedback to make changes came from those who enjoy the park most. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A tent full of people gathered for their love of Piedmont Park and to learn more about what's growing in the 200 acre space. Channel 2's Lori Wilson and Estevez got to see what's coming next, from charity walks to arts festivals. TRENDING STORIES: Police investigating shooting involving an officer in Southwest Atlanta Young Georgia equestrian severely injured after getting kicked in the head by horse Caregiver accused of buying Shein outfits, paying bills with Alzheimer's patient's credit card 'We are really transforming this part of the city,' Widener told Wilson and Estevez. The renovation plans include adding miles of trails to creating a welcoming experience and building more usable space. Widener said to 'Imagine this being filled with people experiencing nature,' while showing where a storage unit would become a visitor center for the Atlanta Botanical Garden, or how a northern part of the park will go from empty greenspace to an amphitheater. Most of last year, the Piedmont Park Conservancy took feedback from almost 10,000 people for ideas on how to update Piedmont Park. The things most requested were better up-keep of the park, more ways to explore nature and adding more activities, like pickle ball courts, sand volleyball courts, more basketball courts and a field for people with different abilities. Other improvements include removing part of a shopping center at Monroe and Piedmont. 'We have this once in a lifetime opportunity to add green space to our city's most visited park,' Widener told Channel 2 Action News. Some changes are also coming to Lake Claireamere, one of the park's most picturesque places. 'It's that iconic view that we all recognize well,' Widener said. Plans for the area call for clearing the brush, adding water friendly trees and building boardwalks. 'Imagine walking all the way around and experiencing this aquatic ecosystem up close and personal,' Widener said. All of the changes planned for the park were funded by thousands of dollars in donations from people who want to make a difference for generations to come. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
