First BeltLine Park – Boulevard Crossing – Purchased
The City of Atlanta recently purchased Boulevard Crossing, a 21-acre commercial and industrial property located at the intersection of Boulevard and Englewood Avenues in Southeast Atlanta, to be transformed into one of the nine park “jewels” along the BeltLine.
The new park will be located just south of Grant Park. The Trust for Public Land sold the property to the City for approximately $9 million to be used as green space. The purchase was made possible through the City’s Opportunity Bonds, administered by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (DPRCA).
The BeltLine – a 22-mile, $2.8 billion redevelopment project that will shape the way Atlanta grows over the next 25 years and beyond – continues to gain momentum. The BeltLine’s Five-Year-Plan, approved by the Atlanta City Council, calls for eight to 10 parks to be constructed in that time frame. Another 20 parks will be added as the project continues.
In 2006, the City purchased the Bellwood Quarry in northwest Atlanta. A new park will be built adjacent to the site, which will serve as the City’s 1.9 billion-gallon Westside drinking water reservoir.
“We are thrilled about the purchase of Boulevard Crossing Park as an addition to the BeltLine. This location was identified as one of the nine park ‘jewels’ in nationally-renowned urban designer Alex Garvin’s ‘Emerald Necklace’ study,” said Mayor Shirley Franklin. “This new park underscores the City’s commitment to expanding green space and managing the future growth of Atlanta.”
Boulevard Crossing – a 21-acre commercial and industrial property at the corner of Boulevard and Englewood Avenues – is the first park purchased for the visionary BeltLine redevelopment project. |
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Upcoming BeltLine Public Input, Education Opportunities
Continued public participation and advocacy for the BeltLine is critical to advancing the visionary 25-year project. Below are a few upcoming opportunities to get updates, learn and share information as the redevelopment continues its progress.
• BeltLine TAD Advisory Committee – The next meeting of the TAD Advisory Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, June 19 and Tuesday, August 14. Both meetings will be held from 4-6 p.m. at Hands On Atlanta, 600 Means St., Atlanta, 30318.
• BeltLine Affordable Housing Advisory Board – The next meeting will be held Tuesday, July 10 from 4-6 p.m. at the Atlanta Development Authority, 86 Pryor St., Atlanta, 30303.
• Free Public Tours – Every Friday and Saturday – from 9:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m. – the BeltLine Partnership will host free tours of the BeltLine. Tours begin and end at the Inman Park/Reynoldstown MARTA Station and travel through the 45 neighborhoods that will be connected by the BeltLine. To reserve a seat on an upcoming tour, email tours@beltlinepartnership.org.
For more information on upcoming events, visit www.beltlinepartnership.org
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Stay Refreshed this Summer: Department of Watershed Management Tips
As temperatures continue to soar, the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM) offers the following tips to beat the heat and enjoy summer!
- While out in the sun, wear a hat, light colored clothing and a waterproof sun-screen with an SPF of 15 or higher. This is especially important between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. when the sun is hottest.
- If you become overheated, sit in the shade and try to keep your skin cool and moist.
- Check with your doctor before sunbathing if you take any prescription drugs. Some medicines can increase your risk of sunburn, or interact with the sun to cause rashes or other side effects. Once skin is sunburned it is more sensitive to further exposure.
- When participating in outdoor activities, drink enough water or other liquids to avoid dehydration. Avoid alcoholic beverages.
- Now through September 3, City of Atlanta pools will be open in 22 indoor and outdoor locations. To confirm pool openings and times of operation, call the Aquatics main office at 404.817.6778 or visit here.
For more helpful summer tips – and how to conserve water use – visit www.atlantawatershed.org.
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Keep Atlanta Green – Give Your Car the Day Off
In support of “Give Your Car the Day Off” Week, the City of Atlanta is challenging its residents, stakeholders and employees – many of whom commute daily from other cities to work – to leave their vehicles at home one day during the week of June 18 – 22.
This week, the City of Atlanta Green Team and Department of Human Resources (DHR) will partner with the Clean Air Campaign to host three alternative transportation commuter fairs. Alternative transportation commute options like carpooling, mass transit and teleworking help to eliminate the amount of toxic gasses in the environment.
Commuter fairs will be held at City Hall East on Wednesday June 20; and at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (HJAIA) on Thursday June 21. Fair hours are 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Mayor Shirley Franklin and the City of Atlanta have taken a leadership role to promote a greener, livable Atlanta for generations to come. In 2005, Mayor Franklin joined with 224 mayors representing 43.9 million Americans in 38 states to sign a climate change agreement. The agreement urges federal and state governments to enact policies and programs that help to reduce global warming pollution levels to seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012.
For more information on the City’s Greener Atlanta Initiatives, visit here. For more information on the commuter fairs, call 404.330.6554 or 404.805.4382.
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The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) recently held a news conference with HJAIA officials announcing more than $40 million in grants to improve safety and support capacity improvements at the world’s busiest airport. Click here to go to Video On Demand (VOD) webpage where you can watch the news conference.
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Rave Reviews!
- During a recent trip to Montreal, Canada, Mayor Shirley Franklin signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay to collaborate on developing and implementing training programs for local authorities, particularly in the area of gender equality. Mayor Franklin signed the MOU in her capacity as chair of the CIFAL-Atlanta board of directors. Mayor Tremblay signed the MOU on behalf of the Metropolis International Institute, a world association of major metropolises that serves as a forum for bridging research, policy and practice on migration and diversity. For more information about CIFAL-Atlanta’s gender equality initiatives, visit www.cifalatlanta.org.
Mayor Shirley Franklin and Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay (seated) sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly develop training programs for local leaders in the area of gender equality while Alexander Mejia, president and executive director of CIFAL-Atlanta, looks on. |
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Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (HJAIA) will conduct its sixth annual Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Walk on Wednesday, June 20 at 6:30 a.m. The event increases awareness about the potential risks of foreign objects to aircraft and allows volunteers an opportunity to remove debris from the runway. Participants should report to the City South Hangar (formerly the Northwest Hangar) located at 1000 Inner Loop Road no later than 6:15 a.m. on Wednesday, June 20 for transportation to the site. For more information, visit www.atlanta-airport.com.
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Job Announcements
With the City of Atlanta’s online application system, you are able to create an account and select a Username and Password and then log in to your account.
After your account has been established, you can create an application by clicking on the “Build Job Application” link. Once your application is completed, it will be stored in the system and can be used to apply for future job openings. To get started by viewing current open positions, click here.
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Weekly Features
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