Parks with Purpose

Our Parks with Purpose program focuses on some of our most vulnerable urban communities. Through equitable park development projects and a community-centered approach, we work with residents to transform and restore blighted, inner city properties into vibrant new parks. Not only do these new greenspaces provide safe places for kids to play and neighbors to gather, but they also reduce stormwater flooding impacts, train and employ local residents, provide access to fresh, healthy foods and create natural habitat in these highly urbanized neighborhoods. Most importantly, these parks are planned, developed and constructed by community residents. By focusing on environmental, economic and social justice outcomes, we can ensure that these new parks create a variety of benefits for those who live, work and play in these urban neighborhoods.

OVERVIEW OF PARKS WITH PURPOSE

WHAT CAN A PARK DO? CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO FIND OUT.

Parks can transform blighted spaces into a community asset. The image on the left shows the chronic flooding in Atlanta’s west side neighborhoods near the future site of Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park. Image on the right shows a rendering of the new park along with its many community assets.

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Parks can provide opportunities for job training and employment. Our partners at The Greening Youth Foundation’s work with diverse, underserved and underrepresented children, youth and young adults in an effort to develop and nurture enthusiastic and responsible environmental stewards.
Photo by Whitney Flanagan.

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Parks can offer ecosystem services such as storm water retention, remediated air and water, and erosion control. Vine City Park is one of Atlanta’s first Parks with Purpose. The park had been an abandoned lot until the Fund bought the land and transformed it. The City of Atlanta now owns the park and the community has a place to enjoy the outdoors.
Photo by Claire Cooney.

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Parks can help to build more empowered and resilient communities. Peer Exchange tour of Lindsay Street Park, guided by a talk from neighborhood resident Mother Moore.
Photo by Zhivko Illeieff.

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Parks can engage all ages in environmental education, stewardship and advocacy. Stephen Causby (left), resident and manager at Mattie Freeland Park, talking about the work of the local community in creating and maintainig the park.
Photo by Robin McKinney.

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In the fall of 2016, The Conservation Fund acquired 7.1 acres of land on Browns Mill Road in southeast Atlanta. This site will become Atlanta's first Community Urban Food Forest, as well as a new model for a City of Atlanta park.
Photo by Browns Mill Food Forest.

sand creek massacre national historic site