DeKalb city reopens park after nearly $2-million renovation project
A park with a friendly name is reopening in Clarkston after a $1.85-million renovation project.
Friendship Forest Wildlife Sanctuary, located at 4380 East Ponce De Leon Boulevard, underwent a grand reopening Friday, according to a news release. The 18.5-acre park is located about half a mile from the city’s central business district.
The park includes portions of protected wetlands along with several outdoor recreation activities. A bird sanctuary is also on the property.
The park initially began developing in 2015, and the new renovation includes wood viewing decks, a covered pavilion, asphalt walking paths and a new restroom building. Last December, a new parking lot was also installed. Leach Landscaping, which is based in Covington, was the developer for all the new features and improvements.
The city held a reopening ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday. Attendees were required to wear masks and had to practice social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More information on the park is available at clarkstonga.gov/friendship-forest. A Facebook community called “Friends of Friendship Forest” also provides updates on park activities and conditions.
About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
