Piedmont Commons, a 12.5 acre section of Piedmont Park tucked between Monroe Drive and the BeltLine on the park’s northern edge, officially opened to the public on Thursday June 20.
New amenities include three new pedestrian entrances, paths and trail connectors anticipating the future BeltLine and two footbridges that pass over improved Clear and Orme Creek corridors. There are still sections of the new area where access is restricted and PVC irrigation pipe abounds as staff work to complete landscaping, but there’s still plenty of accessible new space for park-goers to enjoy. Future plans for the area include a playground and possibly a skate park.
An immediate impact of the newly opened commons, though, is improved pedestrian access to the park for residents in the Ansley Park, Dutch Valley and Morningside areas. Previously visitors to the park coming from the north had to either drive and park in the parking deck shared with the Atlanta Botanical Garden (off of Monroe), or walk south a considerable distance to enter the park.
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There was a grand opening ceremony on Thursday attended by Mayor Kasim Reed, City Councilperson Alex Wan, State Representative Pat Gardner, Piedmont Park Conservancy President/CEO Yvette Bowden and other dignitaries. Mayor Reed addressed the assembled crowd, praising the Piedmont Commons project as an outstanding example of public/private partnership complemented by local neighborhood involvement.
To read more and see an album of photos of the new Piedmont Commons and the grand opening event, visit: http://vahi.org/newest-section-of-piedmont-park-opens-to-the-public/