Decatur’s Most Popular Park
Decatur Metro | July 2, 2009
I’m feeling a bit Jane Jacobs-y today, so I thought I’d throw this topic out for discussion.
Of Decatur’s many parks, which gets the most foot traffic and, more importantly, why? Is it also the city’s most “attractive” park?
Also, flip the question on its head. What’s Decatur’s least popular park and why?
I don’t spend nearly enough time roaming our city parks to give a definitive answer, but I think the insane popularity of First Christain’s pocket park at the corner of Nelson Ferry and Northern provides a few valuable lessons on what makes a successful park.
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I would presume the City of Decatur Cemetery gets by far the most foot traffic as a result of its size and location. Conversely, I suspect the Glenn Creek Nature preserve is the least known and visited site.
if you are curious about Glenn Creek Nature Preserve be sure to visit it. Where is it? Directions at http://www.glenncreeknaturepreserve.org or even better there is a volunteer work day to support Close Up at 9am July 18th. Also, there is a new trail to follow thanks to the Mr. Billingsley and Dominguez’s Decatur High School Civic’s classesl!! Last, there are still signs of the biodegradable art project that was part of Earth Day, look for it up in the Canopy. Way Up!
Your link doesn’t seem to work for me. this one does though, http://www.arboratlanta.com/glenncreek/index.html It looks like a fantastic park. I’d love to explore it with the little people of my house.
I’m curious though, the site says open to the public by appointment. So, does a dad with a couple of tots in tow need a appointment if he decides to spontaneously stop by?
no appointment necessary. that needs to be updated. i will check into the URL issue. I like to ride my kids on my bike there but I am fairly close. enjoy!
Hmmmm…overall foot traffic, I’d say Glenlake, simply because it’s the largest, has the most facilities, and of course, the newly upgraded pool/poolhouse. I think 1st Christian’s park is frequented mostly by folks from its immediate surrounding neighborhood & the church’s members– the fact that so many PWKs live on those feeder streets up behind it (Coventry, Woodlawn, Nelson Ferry, Clarion, & to a degree, Pinetree) could make it seem more popular than it actually is. It’s pretty small, but it’s the closest one to those residents’ houses, so when you have about a dozen tots & their parents, it can seem like it’s packed to the gills. Up-and-comers? McKoy, certainly– with its nice new pool, game fields, & proximity to Oakhurst, it’s bound to become more attractive to those residents, even though it’s a bit smaller than Oakhurst Park.
Least popular? My guess is Adair. Just from what I’ve seen, fewer people seem to frequent it (even folks with dogs). There’s really not much aesthetially pleasing about it, nor does it have as many child-friendly amenities as the others do. It’s a good place for your dog to poo, I guess, but not much else.
A dozen?
I often count over 30 kids at a time at First Christian. And that park has very little going for it, unlike Glenlake that has a pool, tennis courts, full-on playground, dog park, etc.
Definitely a lot of PWK in the neighborhood, but I’ve also seen many people from outside the neighborhood drive there.
What I’m getting at is it’s location. I think it’s proximity to the W Ponce commercial is a big part of it’s success. People grab coffee at Dancing Goats or dinner at the Grange and go to the park. Or they walk down Ponce, past all these places and the park is the destination.
Hey, your talking about my dog park, and it is very popular with the doggies. We have quite a community there. The rest of the park is quiet, but still an asset. Tall trees too. Alot of birthday parties at the picnic table area.
The First Christian Church park is known by the 3 year old and under crowd as the “Round and Round Park” for obvious reasons. I’ll bet if you polled any group of 3 year olds in Decatur and they would vote for it as their favorite. While going round and round on a concrete strip is clearly not engaging or aesthetically pleasing to adults, it’s the bees knees for tots. It’s a great place for little ones to learn to ride a scooter or tricycle, and then a bicycle. It’s small size makes it ideal for the tot who wants to run free but whose short legs can’t go very far. It’s fenced in so parents dozing off from the excitement of it all don’t have to panic. It has a few swings and little tot play structures that allow parents to sip their lattes on the benches provided. My kids would beg nightly to go to the Round and Round Park. You see people with tots from all over, not just the neighborhood. Notice all the parked cars along Nelson Ferry. After about age 5 or 6, the appeal is gone.
My favorite park is probably Glenlake because you can kill so many birds with one visit, so to speak–you can take your younger child to swim while your older child bicycles around the park or plays tennis. Or your younger child can play on the playground while your older child is at soccer or baseball practice. There’s a pavilion for birthday parties or picnics. There’s a path that’s a nice way to walk or bike between the Great Lakes and Glenwood areas. A close second would be Oakhurst because of the potential dual use–one child in baseball game while the other is on playground or biking around. Plus there’s lots of barbecue smells and and a concession stand during baseball season. McKoy is nice too. Hidden Cove is great for “adventures” with the 6 and under crowd. However, it doesn’t have a decent playground or field now that Westchester has been closed several years. Northwest Decatur could really use some decent open park space.
The Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve is one of my favorite spots. Not as well recognized as some of the more popular parks, but the best I’ve been in by far – from the perspective of a Northwest Georgia native.
….but Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve is not technically in the City of Decatur……so nevermind
Wow. Never new that was there. I’m going to have to check that one out! Best parks within a 20 minutes drive of Decatur could definitely be another great thread.
Great idea, I say we stay with it now.
I’ve always thought that Lullwater was an absolute gem. Talk about exploring…that park has so many corners and odd nooks. There’s even one spot that for some reason looks to me like it’s straight out of Alice in Wonderland.
Also, in many spots where you can’t see Emory’s towers raising around it, Lullwater makes you feel like you’re way out in the middle of nowhere.
Here’s a walkable gem from Decatur – Deepdene. I love the conundrum of feeling like you are so very removed, and still, with more than 100,000 cars passing it daily. It’s 22 acres of wooded trails, and really very incredible. And if you are feeling very adventurous, it is the eastern end of the Olmstead Linear Park, so you can walk all the way to Moreland/Briarcliff.
Yes, I love Lullwater, too. I particularly like the new suspension bridge for pedestrians over the creek. Very pretty bridge.
Where is the best place to park to get into Lullwater? I can’t find a place to park where I’m not walking my very timid dog through traffic to get to the park entrance.
I haven’t been there in a while, but I think you can still park in the emory parking deck off clairmont and walk through from the back.
Yeah, I always park in that deck; it’s free after 3 or 4 PM during the week and on the weekends. Some people choose to park in the dorm lots off Gatewood Dr or Andrews Cir, but I think you do so (at least during the week) at the risk of being ticketed. (Well, perhaps not during the summer). I haven’t been lately and am curious to see this new suspension bridge!
There’s also an open gate in the fence behind the VA hospital on Clairmont, which backs into Lullwater. Go to the back of the hospital and bear left of the parking deck… the gate is over the curb on the right (into the woods). Follow the trail (well-marked) until you see the bridge on your left. It’s about 50 yards. Can’t say whether it’s safe or legal to park at the VA but there are hundreds of spaces and no cars, at least on weekends.
Another underutilized City of Decatur park is the Rev. Roy Moss Garden (aka Griffin Park) on McDonough Street across from College Heights ECLC. There’s a waterfall and a trail for a short walk. It’s a relatively passive park, but you could hit McKoy closeby for more active things.
Good point Parky. I like to walk through there after a good rain – the waterfall really gets going and you think you’re in a much larger park.
Dearborn Park is also a great outing. Shoal Creek peacefully meanders through the park. There’s a playground that’s not very large but the kids are more interested in exploring the creek usually. There’s also a great trail that tracks along the creek.
This park is right in the area of Midway Woods that was recently annexed. It’s been rumored that this park is now a City of Decatur park? Can anyone confirm? And it’s adjacent to the large Winona Park subdivision that’s underway.
http://www.atlanta-midtown.com/neighborhoods/parks/dekalb_county/dearborn/
The fine folks at Renewal Construction recently spearheaded a clean-up day.
http://parkrenewalday.com/
Dearborn Park is a DeKalb County park, with approximately a third of the park located within the city limits. Decatur Active Living has met with county staff multiple times regarding the park, assisted with cleanup days (big thanks to resident Jeremy Rhett), and co-sponsored the Park Renewal Day event, graciously originated by Peter Michelson and Renewal Design-Build.
Quick note: Adair Park has a nice playground, and is a fun space for throwing a frisbee, kicking a soccer ball, playing catch, etc. Parks have different “personalities”, as some are more actively programmed than others, but all serve important purposes.
This is helpful and enjoyable conservation; we appreciate the thread Decatur Metro!!
Sorry for the typo, should be “conversation”, not “conservation”.