Park Pride awards over $1 million to parks in metro Atlanta

In its 30th year, Park Pride awarded a record $1,385,000 in capital funding for park improvements to 30 Friends of the Park groups across the City of Atlanta, unincorporated DeKalb County, City of Brookhaven, and City of Tucker, according to a press release.

To date, Park Pride has awarded $7.7 million to projects that include new playgrounds, bridges and piers, ADA-accessibility improvements, informational kiosks and signage, trails, exercise equipment, community gardens, green infrastructure (rain gardens and bioswales) to address rainwater challenges, and more.

Legacy grants

Park Pride Legacy grants (Atlanta only):

• The Friends of Anderson Park will install a new playground, fitness equipment, and park amenities.
• The Candler Park Conservancy received a challenge grant to renovate its recreation field with drainage improvements and erosion control surrounded by a fitness track.
• The Friends of Lang-Carson Park will renovate the Manigault Playlot with an ADA-accessible path, embankment slide and sensory garden.
• The Friends of Lillian Cooper Shepherd Park will install lighting and a shade structure over the basketball court.
• The Friends of Mattie Freeland Park will partner with Park Pride and The Conservation Fund to build a new park in the English Avenue neighborhood.
• The Friends of Pittman Park will install new swing sets, play equipment, and park amenities.
• The Friends of South Atlanta Park will install new playground equipment and transform a tennis court into an active lawn.
• The South Fork Conservancy will construct a bridge providing pedestrian access across the north fork of Peachtree Creek.

Community Building grants

• Park Pride Community Building Grants ( Atlanta and unincorporated DeKalb County):
• The Friends of Coan Park will install an ADA-accessible "Musical Forest."
• The Friends of DeKalb Memorial Park will install a new deck around the Parkview Community Center.
• Historic Oakland Cemetery will install a new entrance on the east side of the park.
• The Friends of Pendergrast Park will renovate the park, including new infrastructure, additional trails, and a new playground.
• The Friends of South Bend Park will install a new gate, new fencing, and enhance the dog park.
• The Friends of Sunken Garden Park will install drainage improvements and a retaining seat wall.