Decatur is one of 11 finalists for this year’s Atlanta Magazine “Groundbreaker of the Year” Award.  According to the mag’s website, the program was launched in 2012 ” with the goal of honoring people and projects that make Atlanta a better place to live, emphasizing innovation and new ideas.”

The magazine’s theme for this year is “Building (and Rebuilding) a Better Place to Live.” “They explain, “We sought out smart work not only in development, but in preservation, parks, public art, and environmental stewardship. The 11 members of the 2015 class range from an urbanist project in the suburbs to a passionate advocate of public arts to a transformative reimagining of highway right-of-way.”

In its blurb, Decatur is recognized for its ongoing “environmental work” and it’s ARC Green Communities “platinum” status. The city’s current work with its “Better Together” diversity initiative, zoning changes to allow smaller housing options, the Lifelong Community Advisory Board and the MLK Service Program also all received a mention.

Decatur is up against a field of 10 worthy challengers, including a mixed use project in Alpharetta, Clark Howard’s involvement in Habitat for Humanity, MARTA CEO Keith Parker, Arts non-profit WonderRoot, PATH400 and others.

Take a look at all the candidates, and if you think Decatur is deserving of the award, you can vote for it HERE!

Photo courtesy of McVeigh Mangum