How cool is this?  From the East Decatur Greenway folks…

East Decatur Greenway plans to begin brownfield remediation of a one-acre site at 890 Columbia Drive as soon as Wednesday, November 18, 2015. This cleanup represents one of the final stages in a multi-year campaign by residents to remedy blight and petroleum-based contamination at this former abandoned gas station. Their goal is to transform the site into a shared greenspace for residents and students at neighboring schools. Weather permitting, cleanup should be complete by the end of the year.

East Decatur Greenway selected Environmental Technology Resources, Inc. (ETRI) to manage remediation efforts. The subcontractor, Aqua-Terra Recycling, will remove heavily-contaminated soil and groundwater, while mildly-contaminated soil may be treated on-site. Once all contamination has been removed, Aqua-Terra will bring in new soil and complete earthmoving activities to shape the site for the future community greenspace.

For the past year, East Decatur Greenway has been working with residents in Midway Woods and Forrest Hills, as well as the students, teachers, and administrators of the Friends School, the Museum School, and the Waldorf School to seek their input on plans for the future greenspace. As a result of these visioning sessions, East Decatur Greenway is seeking funding to build an outdoor classroom, seating, bike racks, and passive recreation on the remediated site. Additionally, East Decatur Greenway is working with the PATH Foundation to build a 1.1 mile trail originating at this site. The proposed trail will end at Avondale Estates MARTA Station.

Since acquiring the property in 2012, East Decatur Greenway has been working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and others to determine the level of contamination at the site, develop a cleanup plan, and complete cleanup activities. EPA provided initial technical assistance through a Targeted Brownfields Assessment Grant. The current planned remediation is made possible by a three-year, $200,000 grant from the EPA’s Brownfields program.

East Decatur Greenway is a nonprofit whose mission is to create community greenspace, remediate environmental contamination, protect the watershed, and build safe trails for bicycling and walking in this densely populated part of DeKalb County. East Decatur Greenway was formed in 2011 to acquire a run-down, deteriorating former gas station at 890 Columbia Drive. Since then, it has been working with city, county, state, and federal agencies, as well as the PATH Foundation and community members to obtain funding for its eventual redevelopment as a greenspace.

For more information, see www.eastdecaturgreenway.org or www.facebook.com/eastdecaturgreenway.