It’s a warm spring day in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, and Eden Magpantay and her dog, Nyago, are going for a long walk. Before this February, they would have been limited to simply ambling around the neighborhood. But today, they turn a corner, crest a small hill and arrive at the newly constructed Historic Fourth Ward Park.
“It’s the best thing that’s happened to this neighborhood,” Magpantay said.
Nestled a block south of City Hall East, the park is an expansive five acres of mixed-use paths winding around a large lake that forms the centerpiece of the area. Stone sculptures designed by local artist Maria Artemis dot the park, geese swim lazily through the lake and several sets of waterfalls fill the air with the sound of rushing water.
The Historic Fourth Ward Park is the latest addition to the Atlanta Beltline. It is in only its first phase of development, but by the time summer hits, it will have expanded to 17 acres.
Magpantay is excited about the park, gushing about how pretty it is and how it gives Old Fourth Ward residents a way to get to know their neighbors. But the park is more than merely a green space. The lake also addresses issues with flooding that used to plague the area.
“The original thought that the city had was to build just your standard watershed management facility,” said Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. Director of Communications Ethan Davidson. “The community really wanted a park in that location … and they agreed on this concept of a retention pond or lake that could both serve the Department of Water Management needs and be the centerpiece of a new park.”
According to Davidson, there was also an ongoing dialog with the community about the design and construction of the park. The finished product is part of an ambitious citywide project spearheaded by Atlanta BeltLine.
The urban development project is spending $2.8 billion on transformative changes to Atlanta. According to its website, Atlanta BeltLine aims to convert a 22-mile former rail line into a trail transit system connected to 33 miles of multi-use trails. It’s also on a mission to connect 40 of Atlanta’s parks, create 1,200 acres of new green space and improve 700 acres of existing parks and green spaces.
The goal of all this development is to make Atlanta a more pleasant place to live while also stimulating the economy, cleaning up the environment, creating a platform for public art and preserving historical areas.
Although the Beltline itself is far from complete, the Historic Fourth Ward Park is already a hit in the neighborhood.
“It’s a very beautiful space, and I’m sure it’s going to be in high demand for everything from festivals to weddings to just hanging out with friends,” Davidson said.
The Historic Fourth Ward Park is located one block south of City Hall East and is bordered by Morgan Street, Rankin Street, Edith Street and Garden Park Drive.
