Sponsored by John Park -District 2 Council Member

Parks And Recreation Coalition of Brookhaven

to Communicate, Promote and Unite

In collaboration with Brookhaven Parks & Recreation Department

City Council Session Date: 2/24/15PARC of Brookhaven logo compliments of Carolyn & Trey Benton

PARC of Brookhaven Visioning Sessions: Ashford Memorial, Georgian Hills & Skyland Parks

Highlights of Public Comments, Brookhaven Police Input & PARC’s Priority Recommendations

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Purpose of Visioning Sessions

• Provide more opportunities for citizen input into park planning process. To share some new ideas, insights, & surprises

• To make recommendations for budgeting & actionable priorities for each of these 3 smaller parks in District 2 by identifying more detailed citizen needs & wants to:

ØElected Officials

ØCity Manager

ØParks & Recreation Director

• Obtain additional knowledge of improvements that may be warranted in all parks so we can take advantage of economies of scale & contractual negotiations in a timely manner i.e tennis courts resurfacing

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Communication to Promote Visioning Sessions

• Printed & distributed over 500 flyers • To businesses within or along: Town Brookhaven, Dresden Dr., Cherokee Plaza, Clairmont Rd.,

Peachtree Rd., all churches & apartment complexes within District 2 & all vet /dog services within the 3 parks vicinity

• Residential neighborhoods surrounding the 3 parks

• Other businesses printed & distributed our flyer via e mail or community blasts

• Home Owners, Civic Associations surrounding the 3 parks & Next Door

• Promotion of PARC website for g mail responses & Facebook

• City of Brookhaven website postings

• Media reported:• Brookhaven Post• Brookhaven Reporter• Brookhaven Neighbor• AJC• Around Brookhaven

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Organization of Visioning Sessions

• Team of 5 PARC of Brookhaven members: Sue Binkert, Jim Dupree, Terrell Carstens, Kathie Pettigrew-Coy, Lissie Stahlman

• Member of P&R staff attended each Visioning Session & assisted with room scheduling

• PARC conducted 2 Visioning Sessions for each park between: 1/21/15 – 2/5/15. Conducted one evening and one morning session for each park

• PARC conducted 1 evening Community meeting on 2/19/15

• PARC received additional input from: parcbrookhaven@gmail.com & Facebook

• Brookhaven Police Department officers attended a number of sessions and provided insights and information re: security at parks, K9 unit and new police assignments

• Sessions were facilitated discussion of seven questions: 6 for individual parks & 1 global for all Brookhaven parks

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Seven Questions for Facilitated Discussion:

1. What do you want to see at XX park?

2. What do you not want to see in XX park?

3. What do you currently like about XX park?

4. What do you currently not like about XX park?

5. What are your concerns regarding health & safety at XX park?

6. What would you like to see as recreational opportunities or programs at XX park?

7. As a Brookhaven citizen, what would you like to see in Brookhaven Parks & Recreational Programming?

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PARC of Brookhaven’s Recommended Park Priorities:Information is summarized from Visioning Sessions

• Create City of Brookhaven Park Brand identity and individual park identity with neighborhood and citywide Brookhaven perspective in balance

• Safety & Health

• Accessibility

• Maintenance

• Add Amenities

• Land Reclamation

• Restoration of land/sports fields, facilities & equipment

• Build new infrastructure

• Build connectivity between parks

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Brookhaven Parks Priorities:

Safety & Health:• 911 call boxes• Police patrols:

• eliminate criminal element, urban campers• enforcement of dog leash laws• enforcement of alcohol laws

• Line of sight clearing• Structural repairs: pavilions, creeks, benches,

fencing, parking, walkways, playgrounds, trails, pools, tennis courts, sports fields, etc.

• Code compliance: playgrounds, bridges, etc. • Dangerous dead tree removal• Adequate trash cans, recycle cans & dog

waste stations• Bathrooms where appropriate• Bathroom baby changing stations• Water availability for citizens & dogs• Security Lighting where appropriate

Accessibility:• Accessible entrances to parks &

facilities-ADA compliant• Adequate Parking

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Brookhaven Parks Priorities Continued:

Land Reclamation:• Removal of invasive plants

• Improve drainage /storm water /stream management issues

Maintenance:• Regular grass cutting• Regular trash pick up• Regular sports field upkeep• Regular bathroom cleanup• Regular identification & scheduling of

cleaning & repairs• Regular beautification: flower planting• Graffiti removal • Regular tree maintenance

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Brookhaven Parks Priorities Continued:

Amenities: Signature Branding • Park Entrances are under consideration with saving existing granite structures and resigning • Currently adding some signature benches and adult swings• Currently planning to refurbish inventory of usable benches• Currently adding some signature trash cans, recycle cans & dog waste stations

Restoration of land/creek, sports fields, facilities & equipment

Build new infrastructure is specific for each park

Build infrastructure for park connectivity

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Main Identity of the 3 parks

• Want to remain Neighborhood Parks

• Ashford Memorial Park: 3.4 acres

• Georgian Hills Park: 5.9 acres

• Skyland Park: 10.6 acres

• Less is More…Balance of Active & Passive

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Ashford Memorial Park

Currently Like• Location/access

• Neighborhood park for kids

• Toys – kids enjoy them

• Playground easily accessible from parking lot

• Sandbox

Currently Do Not Like• Focus on just being a toddler park

• Toys: visually & physically cluttered /looks terrible & safety risk

• Poor condition of tennis courts-need resurfacing

• Drainage issues

• Non functioning bathrooms and unclean bathrooms

• Poor condition of Community Center building: paint, lighting & acoustics

Park Identity: Neighborhood Park for all ages, but with emphasis on small children

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Ashford Memorial Park

Want• Walking Path• More shade throughout park esp.

playground/sandbox• Updated playground for all ages

toddler-12• Off leash dog area• More open green space• Trash cans/recycle• More passive play spaces / quiet areas

& picnic areas• Natural Amphitheatre with electricity

for movies, etc.

Don’t want• Soccer• Basketball• Off leash dog area

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Ashford Memorial Park: Recreational Opportunities & Programming Citizen Suggestions

• Movies in park

• Gardening classes

• Walking club

• Fitness programs: kids & adults

• Educational classes

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Ashford Memorial Park: Safety & Health Highlighted Citizen Concerns

• Resolve the multiple drainage issues

• Consideration of either removal of toys or planned P&R policy with procedures for toy identification &/or storage corral

• Fencing- secure perimeter with gated entrances

• Community Center:

• Bathrooms maintained better

• Bathrooms with automatic timer systems

• Add diaper changing station in bathrooms

• Security lighting, possible night lighting of tennis courts

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Ashford Memorial Park: Citizen Recommendations

• Address Safety Concerns

• New playground equipment for children, age ranges toddler & elementary age with shade structures built in

• More shade overall especially playground and increase tree canopy

• Create more open play area/ quiet area by replacing current concrete slab/old basketball court with grass

• Create a walking trail & possible fitness trail utilizing current sidewalks, connecting & expanding

• Create an off leash dog run area between Community Center & MARTA wall

• Resurface the tennis courts

• Create passive amphitheater near MARTA wall & Cherry Trees/Reading Rd- facing tennis courts with electricity

• Improvements to Community building: • Better acoustics• Better lighting• Paint

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Georgian Hills Park

Currently Like • Neighborhood location• Natural setting/woodsy & green

space• Creek/stream if healthier• Quiet• Pavilion• Dog walkers on leash• Pick up soccer games• Volunteer clean up days

Currently Do Not like• No foot path along creek• Steep grade and no access to park ,

trail or structures• Drainage ditch condition under

Bragg St- floods for days• Debris• Field surface too compacted• Overall condition and lack of

maintenance• Northern stairs by Townhomes in

disrepair• Checkers table at curbside• 2 Playgrounds are too far apart for

proper supervision of different ages

Park identity: Neighborhood Park – a combination of passive and active

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Georgian Hills Park

Want • Stairs for access to park- all sections

• Grills

• Better parking lot at end of Georgian Hills West

• Evergreens along Clairmont

• Soccer goals

• Off leash dog area

• New playground for more ages and in areas with some sun so won’t mold

• Maintenance/ cut underbrush

• Community Garden

Don’t want:• Bathrooms

• Dog off leash area: stream

• Too much manicured- more natural

• Sodded ball field

• Impermeable (asphalt) parking surface

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Georgian Hills:Recreational Opportunities & Program Citizen Suggestions

• Gardening club

• Fitness classes

• Soccer- moveable goals

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Georgian Hills: Safety & Health Highlighted Citizen Concerns

• No safe access to any of 3 parcels of parkland: • No stairs , must traverse 4+ foot slopes• Repair/replace stairs near Townhomes (determine ownership)

• Fix concrete wall with exposed rebar that is within feet of pavilion

• Need railings along creek at pavilion & culvert entrances

• Bridge railings be brought up to code

• Remove checkered table at roadside

• Update Playground equipment & revisit existing structures

• Dangerous dead tree- removal & pruning

• Improve dead end parking lot• Possible no parking on residential side• Lighting in parking lot but not obtrusive to neighbors

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Georgian Hills: Citizen Recommendations

• Address Safety Concerns

• Resolve storm water management/ drainage issues (spring fed stream- 30 acre PDK land)

• Creek/stream revitalization

• Create walking path along creek

• Update Playgrounds & reposition them to be closer together

• Reseed the soccer/baseball field area

• Refurbish the current partial basketball court

• Add moveable soccer goals

• Create buffer with evergreens along Clairmont

• Consider development possibilities for area across Bragg St with stream

• Possible Terraced area for picnicking in middle park section as an area of destination

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Skyland Park

Currently Liked• That it’s there…close proximity

• Bat boxes (mammal home)

• Tennis courts

• Soccer fields

• Wooded/natural undeveloped areas

• Birds

• Diversity of population

• Covered pavilion

Currently Did Not Like• Maintenance…needs to be

cleaned up

• Eliminate invasive plants

• Criminal/urban camper element

• Lacks adequate security lighting

Park Identity: Active Neighborhood ParkSlow progression, maintain, clean up & take time to see neighborhood need & potential

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Skyland Park

Want• Refurbish tennis courts• Clear invasive plants• Off leash dog area behind fenced

sports field• Development of walking trails in

wooded area• Bathrooms built at Skyland• Water fountains for people & dogs• Additional parking: off Dresden +• Electrical access at pavilion• Bike racks

Don’t want• Concrete on trail• Basketball courts• Any reduction of green space

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Skyland Park: Safety & Health Highlighted Citizen Concerns

• Cars after dark in parking lot

• Need multilingual Rule signs

• Poor condition of tennis courts lead to injury

• Path/land/field grading- ankle breakers-ruts

• Don’t remove fence around open field

• No open electrical outlets – fix existing one

• Evidence of homeless camping

• Drug paraphilia at playground

• Create sight lines for public safety

• Build Bathroom facility as park usage increases

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Skyland Park: Citizen Recommendations

• Address Safety Concerns

• Invasive plant removal

• Refurbish tennis courts

• Create walking trails & possible fitness trail

• Additional parking: Dresden Dr.+

• Create off leash dog area in back behind sports field

• Dual purpose sports field: soccer & softball with bleachers

• Community Garden

• Open play space / music venue

• Keep the mound in central part of park- kids love it

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Skyland Park:Recreational Opportunities & Program Citizen Suggestions

• Soccer

• Boot camp

• Tennis clinics

• Laughing yoga

• Frisbee Disc course

• Gardening classes

• More organized sports: soccer & softball

• Music in park

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Summary: PARC of Brookhaven’s Recommended Park Priorities:Information is summarized from previous slides in presentation:

• Create Brookhaven Park Brand identity and individual park identity with neighborhood and citywide Brookhaven perspective in balance:

• Entrances

• Rule signs - Multilingual

• Safety & Heath: • 911 call boxes

• Police patrols: eliminate criminal element, urban campers, enforcement of dog leash laws & alcohol laws

• Line of sight clearing

• Structural repairs: pavilions, creeks, benches, fencing, parking, walkways, playgrounds, trails, tennis courts, sports fields, etc.

• Off leash dog designated areas

• Code compliance: playgrounds, bridges, etc.

• Dangerous dead tree removal

• Security Lighting where appropriate

• Adequate trash, recycle cans & dog waste stations

• Bathrooms where appropriate

• Bathroom baby changing stations

• Water availability for citizens & dogs

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• Accessibility• Accessible entrances to parks & facilities• Adequate Parking

• Maintenance: Consistent quality maintenance & timely repairs

• Regular grass cutting• Regular trash & recycle pick up• Regular sports field upkeep• Regular bathroom cleanup• Regular identification & scheduling of cleaning & repairs• Regular beautification: flower planting• Regular tree maintenance• Graffiti removal

• Add Amenities for maximum appearance appeal & usage of park: trash cans, benches, signs, dog waste stations, etc

• Land Reclamation: • Invasive plant removal• Resolve drainage & stream/storm water management issues

• Restoration of land/creek, trees, sports fields, facilities & equipment per park needs: tennis

courts, equipment- soccer goals, Improve pools & Community Center, etc.

Summary Continued

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• Create active & passive new infrastructure to accommodate current or future needs:

Active:• Pavilions with grills

• sports fields

• playgrounds

• walking trails

• nature trails

• paved bike trail

• fitness trail

• community gardens

• sand pit volleyball

• off leash dog areas

• splash pad

• water features

• amphitheater

• open play areas

• bleachers

• soccer goals

• Create connectivity between parks with multi use: non motorized off road system

Summary Continued

Passive: • Quiet areas with sitting benches

• Bird houses, feeding stations

• Bat houses

• Compost/brush piles

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Inventory Grid District 2 Ashford Memorial

Georgian Hills

Skyland Briarwood Parkside

Walking/Nature/Fitness Trails possible X X X 0

Pool/splash pad 0 0 0 X 0

Sports Field: Soccer 0 1/split 1/split 0 0

Sports Field: Baseball/Softball 0 1/split 1/split 0 0

Tennis Courts 2 0 2 2 0

Designated Open play area possible possible possible X 0

Designated Open quiet area possible X possible X X

Playground Toddler 1 1 1 1 0

Playground Elementary possible possible X 1 0

Community Garden 0 possible 0 1 0

Fenced Off leash dog area possible MARTA wall

possible possible possible 0

Amphitheatre possible 0 0 possible 0

Pavilion 1 1 1 2 0

Community Center 1 0 0 1 0

Outdoor access: Bathroom 1 possible possible 1 0

Paved Bike trails 0 0 0 0 0

Sand Pit Volleyball 0 0 0 0 0

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Immediate Outcomes from Visioning Sessions

• Brookhaven police department’s amazing immediate action regarding urban camping at Skyland Park

• Registration of neighbors interested in participating at the parks as either a day volunteer or to be a part of the Friends groups for Georgian Hills & Skyland

• More citizens feel a part of the process of creation of parks for Brookhaven, feel more ownership of their neighborhood park

• Citizens learned more about the parks and facilities that exist in their neighborhood and Brookhaven as a whole

• Citizens learned more about the process of Park development & improvements

• This information can be used by City Council, City Manager and Parks & Recreation Department in conjunction with information from Parks Master Plan in the decision making process for priority & budgeting

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Visioning Project Impact: Volunteer Hours

• PARC of Brookhaven estimates 400 hours invested in this Visioning Project.

• Independent Sector. The estimated value of volunteer time for 2013 is $22.55 per hour. The value of project is calculated at $9020.00 in 2013 dollar value.

The estimate helps acknowledge the millions of individuals who dedicate their time, talents, and energy to making a difference.

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Closing remarks

A very special thank you to:• Chief Yandura & police personnel• City Council, Mayor, City Manager, John Park and Parks & Recreation Department

for providing the opportunity & collaboration for PARC of Brookhaven to participate in the parks planning process.

Thank You

PARC of Brookhaven Directors: Sue Binkert: suebinkert@gmail.com Jim Dupree: jmd3@comcast.net parcbrookhaven.org

Parks And Recreation Coalition Brookhaven

to Communicate, Promote and Unite

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