The Downtown Decatur Neighbors recent presentation asking city commissioners to consider a downtown park isn’t gaining much headway, at least according to George Dusenbury, group president.
The DDN is specifically looking at three Bank of America parking lots between Clairemont Avenue and Church Street totaling one acre. The lots are either for sale or under contract but Dusenbury points out the city could seize them through eminent domain.
The group envisions a second town square, consisting of lawn, trees, and possibly a splash pad. Dusenbury points out the dramatic residential change in downtown over the past decade: 28 percent of Decatur’s homes will be downtown in 2016, he said, and 2,135 of the city’s 8,400 families will live in just 13 downtown buildings plus the Allen Wilson community.
“In our perception the city’s been passive about this,” he said. “We believe the city is content to have apartments and condos on every square inch of downtown. I feel discouraged, but I’m far from giving up. The core function of government is to provide public space for citizens.”
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