ATLANTA — Atlanta has nine acres of land to build a new public park that will allow guests to visit Georgia's famed Chattahoochee River.
Mayor Andre Dickens made the announcement Wednesday, adding the City of Atlanta for the Department of Parks and Recreation plans to develop its first-ever park that will have direct access to the river.
Lower Paul Park has been in the works since last year, with the Atlanta City Council approving the purchase of land from The Conservation Fund in partnership with Park Pride, organizations that focus on bridging community and conservation. The land was formally acquired on March 4, according to a news release.
“Acquiring this land allows the City to provide our residents with public access to the Chattahoochee River and offer needed parkland to the Riverside community—all while preserving beautiful green space for future generations,” Mayor Dickens said in a news release. “Partnerships between the City and greenspace advocates are vital for our Administration to continue to preserve Atlanta’s open spaces.”
The City's purchase contributes to the Trust for Public Land’s Chattahoochee Riverlands vision, a project that outlines a 52-mile river corridor network of greenways, blueways and parks to reunite the river with metro Atlanta, project plans say.
While features for Lower Paul Park are being determined through a visioning plan led by local nonprofit Park Pride, organizers hope to continue to collaborate with other property owners and stakeholders, a news release said. The park is anticipated to include a Chattahoochee River Trail with direct access to the river and a connection to the Whetstone Creek PATH multi-use Trail. People can learn more about the visioning process here.
