{ October 29th, 2010 }
Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail Groundbreaking
For those of you that complain that the Atlanta BeltLine will never “happen”, consider this: On June 19, Sarah and Jim Kennedy/PATH Foundation and Kaiser Permanente announced that they were each donating $2.5 million to support the construction of the Eastside Trail. Tomorrow- October 30th- groundbreaking on said trail will commence.
Rendering of Eastside Trail as it passes by Historic Old Fourth Ward Park.
John Somerhalder, chairman of the board of the BeltLine Partnership put it best when announcing the donation: “A year from now, Atlantans will walk, jog and bike from Piedmont Park to Freedom Park, connecting to what will be the first new Atlanta BeltLine park to open – Historic Fourth Ward Park.” It’s not every day that a shovel is ceremoniously dug in to a path connecting Midtown, Virginia Highland, Inman Park and Old Fourth Ward.
Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail Ground Breaking Details
Trail Announcement and Celebration will be held on the Atlanta BeltLine adjacent to the intersection of Somerset Terrace and Angier Springs Road (approximate address 568 Somerset Terrace), overlooking Historic Fourth Ward Park. Ceremony will start at 10 am, should last an hour
What is the Atlanta BeltLine, and why does it matter?
More than 100,000 people live within half a mile of the Atlanta BeltLine, which connects 45 of the city’s neighborhoods. According to a Health Impact Assessment conducted by the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2007, the Atlanta BeltLine’s 1,300 acres of parks, 33 miles of trails, $45 million in streetscape and intersection improvements, and the expansion of transit creates the opportunity for vulnerable populations to become physically active. The redevelopment will give 11,000 residents direct access for the first time to a park, and it will connect an additional 127,000 people to transit. As a result, it will improve access to employment opportunities, services, healthy foods, and recreational facilities.
