I received a report from a reader that a Facebook friend had reported that a body was found in Mason Mill Park, north of Decatur, this afternoon.  This report in the AJC confirms it, though doesn’t provide much detail.

The eyewitness report noted that “DeKalb police are everywhere” in the afternoon.  She goes on to note that “all was fine” at 11am when she went to drop off books at the library “kids playing, etc”.  But when she returned with a book accidentally left in her car around 2p, she was “greeted by CSI units, DeKalb police and a funeral home van.”

The AJC report quotes DeKalb Police saying there was “no apparent cause of death”.

The DeKalb County Commission has to have its budget balanced each year by March 1st.  Its the law!

Faced with the unenviable task, CEO Burrell Ellis’ administration asked DeKalb’s Parks and Rec Dept., which Recreation Centers should be closed.

According to North Druid Hills Patch, Mason Mill’s Recreation Center – inside Mason Mill Park off Clairmont Road – was among the five recommended for closure, based on “a number of factors”, such as age, location and maintenance costs.  A bit more from Patch…

Closing the centers is estimated to save the county $500,000.

…“We asked our parks and recreation department to identify which parks and rec centers would be the most appropriate to close, based on a number of factors,” said DeKalb Chief Operating Officer Richard Stogner. “These recommendations were based on a number of factors, such as their respective service areas, age, and maintenance costs.”

Photo courtesy of DeKalb County’s website

Dan notes this item in DeKalb Commissioner Rader’s most recent “Digest”…

The county has officially selected a contractor for construction to improve the day-use area of Mason Mill Park (30033). The construction costs, not to exceed $2.1 million, will be funded by the county parks bond.

The improvements include a full-scale play area, new dog park, relocated parking spaces, and improved storm water management. The day-use construction is the first phase of a $7 million master plan for the entire park….The plans reflect the consensus of county citizens at five public meetings from September 2008 to February 2010.

In conjunction with the day-use renovations, PATH has contracted for a path over the railroad tracks in Mason Mill Park in order to connect that park to Medlock Park.

See the Mason Mill Park Master Plan docs at the end of Mr. Rader’s full note.

The ground-breaking for these renovations will take place this Saturday June 19th at 11am at Mason Mill Park (1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur 30033-3539).

Lately, the AJC seems to be picking up many of the stories that have concerned us lil’ Decatur blogs.

Today the paper is profiling the battle up at Mason Mill Park over the prospective PATH trail, which has received extensive coverage by InDecatur.

In my humble opinion it still sounds like a bikers vs. hikers argument with neighbors on either side.

Read the full article here.

(Photo Courtesy of the AJC)

InDecatur has done a good job the last couple weeks of keeping us up-to-date on the controversy surrounding the PATH Foundation’s new proposed bike path through Mason Mill Park. Now Radical Georgia Moderate informs us of plans by the Three Forks Alliance to sue PATH to stop construction.

Bikers vs. Hikers. (Obviously I’m generalizing here. I’m sure there’s a lot of crossover.)

I’m deeply conflicted. Two groups usually in close agreement might be fighting it out in court. Once I get any sort of grasp of both sides of this issue, maybe I’ll post an opinion. But for now, I’m having trouble choosing between my bike helmet and day pack.

Can’t we just go back to saber-rattling at those pesky developers?