Social Team
Our role
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Identify the major social issues of Grove Park and create recommendations for the shared use path that address those issues.
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Analyze the social implications of the proposed pathway in regards to accessibility and connection in Grove Park.
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Ensure the pathway is effectively engaging the community and meeting their needs.
Kaelyn Kim
International Affairs Major
Samuel Ellis
International Affairs Major
Findings
Proposals
Our proposal seeks to improve the overall safety and connectivity of this area through the implementation of our shared use trail.
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Coordinate a school to recreation center after-school program.
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Increase security along the trail with a designated enforcement task force and community watch program.
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Partner with the Friends of Grove Park organization to engage the community in the long-term planning of the pathway.
Introduction
A shared use path in Grove Park is not a new concept. The City of Atlanta created multiple plans spanning the 2000s to raise property values, improve safety and pedestrian accommodations, and create an improved living environment surrounding Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. However, few of these proposals have come to fruition while the need for safe outdoor space still exists. Notably, 84% of responding households in the Grove Park area listed walking and biking trails as their greatest parks and recreation needs, and 55% of households felt that their needs were not met by existing walking and biking trails (City of Atlanta, 2007).
However, by utilizing Grove Park’s existing resources and assets in conjunction with our proposed shared use path, this neighborhood has the potential to dramatically improve its connectivity, infrastructure, and walkability. The path could enhance the Grove Park neighborhood with increased safety, a more child-friendly environment, enriched educational experiences, and strengthened community linkage.
Providing Connectivity
Community Engagement
For the proposed greenway to succeed, the local community must take ownership of the path. Path Foundation Director Greta deMayo noted that proposals should not tell a community how to use their path or install art and amenities that are not first proposed by the community members. Any public art, festivals, or other forms of altering the path beyond its basic function as a tool of transport should be community-driven. To facilitate this community adoption of the trail, a “Friends of the Groveway” community organization should be organized by the stakeholders to allow long-term community engagement with the path. (Stark, 2020).