It looks like the popularity of the Oakhurst Community Garden’s “Chicks in the City” class has given birth to an even bigger event!

Stephanie Van Parys sends along a press release for the new  “Urban Chickens Symposium”, which will take place from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 on February 6 and held at the Decatur Recreation Center.  You can register for the class here.

The release is worth a read, if only to learn about Allison’s joy of chicken poop.

On the wings of Oakhurst Community Garden Project’s wildly popular “Chicks in the City” classes comes a full morning of urban poultry-keeping. On February 6 the Chicks in the City Symposium offers attendees a full plate of essentials on backyard chickens. Taught by local experts, the six sessions highlight how-tos from coop design to breeds and from chicken illnesses to getting started with backyard poultry.

Read the rest of this entry »

Margaret’s pics of grackles on the Recreation Center lawn were just too good not to give their own post.

Just beyond the left side of this image, I bet Dan Magee is running into the building, covered in grackles.

One more pic after the jump. Click the pics to enlarge and take in the full scope of the grack-attack. Read the rest of this entry »

As part of its “Fifty Forward” initiative, the Atlanta Regional Commission is holding a series of “grassroots” forums all over the Atlanta “region”, asking lawns of residents a variety of questions about Atlanta’s vision for the future.

And guess what?  The 11th in the series, which will focus on how to make Atlanta “the healthiest region in the country” will be at the Decatur Rec Center on Thursday, September 24th!

Healthiest region in the country huh?  Man, that doesn’t sound like the easiest of topics.  How about something easier like “how to make Atlanta the smoggiest region in the country”?  I’m sure we could knock that question out in the good 20 minutes!

For more detail and more serious comments on the subject (from Elizabeth Wilson and Judy Turner), see the full release sent to the press after the jump.  I know, I just called myself “the press”…I feel so dirty. Read the rest of this entry »

Bryan writes in…

Where do folks in Decatur go for group sports? Suppose I were new to town and wanted to play basketball or softball or ultimate frisbee or tag football or tennis or racketball or something along those lines. I am going on 47 years old, not interested in pretending to be an athlete or imagining myself to be 18, but enjoy playing sports with others. Are there good pick-up games to be had anywhere? Clubs or gyms only? I want to stay as close to Decatur as possible.

I’ll point out the obvious, the Rec, and leave the rest open to discussion.

“who decatur” writes in and notes that Glennwood student, Sydney Rhame, and “The Lock Outs” will perform today at noon on the eastern lawn of the Rec Center.  It’s 11:30a now, so I sure hope you’re reading this on a mobile device or you live within a quick walk of the Rec.

Watch Rhame perform a bunch of her songs here and then join my chorus of “Is she really only 10 years old?”

Dave at Little Shop writes in with details about their biggest event of the year (after the Decatur Book Festival.)

Little Shop of Stories is hosting Rick Riordan, author of the incredibly popular and critically acclaimed Percy Jackson & The Olympians series, on Monday, May 18th at the Decatur Recreation Center.

Doors will open at 3:30 and Rick will start his presentation at 4:30.

Book signing to follow.

Walk if you can or ride your bikes. The weather on Monday should be unseasonably awesome. The Marta Station is only a block and a half away. If you drive, please avoid using the Decatur Library lot. You may park at the Decatur First Baptist Church (at the corner of Commerce Drive and Clairemont). A shuttle will run you to the Rec Center.

With the impending renovation of the Decatur Recreation Center and a new athletic complex much closer to home, the DHS basketball team is arranging their final farewells to “The Rec”.

After 50 years of playing in “The Rec”, Decatur High School has scheduled their last basketball game in the Decatur Recreation Center for Friday, February 13, 2009 against Blessed Trinity.

Next season, all DHS basketball games will be played on campus in the new athletic complex.  To celebrate the final game, players and coaches of the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams who have played in “The Rec” over the years are invited to come to the game for a time to remember and reminisce.  There will be a reception in a hospitality room for all returning players.  There will also be a recognition ceremony for all former players and coaches in attendance between the girls’ and boys’ game. The girls’ game will start at 5:00pm and the boys’ game will start following the recognition ceremony.

If there are any former players or coaches who are interested in attending, please contact Brent Eickhoff at Decatur High School.  His email address is beickhoff@csdecatur.net and his phone number is 404-643-0669.  Please give your name and year of graduation.  There will be a sign-in table in the lobby of “The Rec” when you arrive.

Dan Magee writes to all the Decatur blogs, asking us to help spread the word that the city is still seeking imput into the Decatur Recreation Center Master Plan.  Around 50 people attended the first meeting back in mid-December (a detailed report of that meeting – complete with pics – can be found on the city’s website), but the city still wants to give those that couldn’t attend a chance to chime in.

Here are the details, as relayed by Dan…

The City of Decatur is developing a master plan to direct future improvements to the city’s 50 year old recreation center. We invite you to think creatively and submit your ideas to the questions listed below. Forward your answers to Lyn.menne@decaturga.com or hugh.saxon@decaturga.com or mail to Lyn Menne, City of Decatur, P.O. Box 220, Decatur, GA 30031.

Please feel free to spread the word to other city residents. Also, we want to hear from city residents of all ages, so feel free to ask your teen or pre-teen to complete a survey.

After the jump – questions the city is looking to have answered… Read the rest of this entry »

The AJC reports that the city will soon come a knockin’, asking residents in public meetings, “What should become of the Rec Center now that basketball games will be played at the new DHS gym?”  The city is paying LP3 Architects $44,000 to hold public meetings and come up with a master plan for the building.

The only qualification seems to be that the facility needs to support “Active Living”.

So with that very board qualifier in mind, whatcha thnk?

Oh…and here are the other Rec Center-related things that bond project money will go towards…

“Renovation of the building will provide for expanded programming rooms, upgraded mechanical systems, an air conditioned gym and more efficient office space. The master planning process will allow input from a variety of stakeholders in the community to assure that we develop an efficient space that meets a wide variety of recreational needs in the community.”

InDecatur notes that the city is now seeking proposals for improvements to the Rec Center, which is another bond fund project.

According to the city’s website, here’s the gist of what will be done…

1. Develop a master plan to upgrade the Decatur Recreation Center, fund design documents and construct improvements. $2.05 million
The Decatur Recreation Center was designed and constructed in the late 1950s. Recreational programming has changed dramatically in the past 50 years. A master plan will identify changes needed in the building to meet current and future recreational program needs.

Renovation of the building will provide for expanded programming rooms, upgraded mechanical systems, an air conditioned gym and more efficient office space. The master planning process will allow input from a variety of stakeholders in the community to assure that we develop an efficient space that meets a wide variety of recreational needs in the community.

David also notes in his post that he took ballroom dancing at an old building that once functioned as the Rec Center for the city. I’m not sure if this is what he refering to, but here’s a 1940 pic of the Murphy Scott Cooper House, which was torn down to make room for the lovely Rec Center back in the 50’s.

Looks a bit like its High House neighbor, huh? What an absolute tragedy. Thanks a whole heck of a lot urban renewal!