A nonprofit organization has unveiled a "future vision" for the park — its first in 25 years. GPB's Orlando Montoya reports.
Piedmont Park Conservancy, the nonprofit organization that works to conserve and improve Atlanta's central gathering space, has unveiled a "future vision" for the park.
It's the attraction's first master plan in 25 years.
More than 6 million visitors come to the park each year, and the conservancy expects that number to grow with new connections to the city's popular bike and pedestrian trail, the Beltline.
The plan's chief designer, Thomas Woltz, says the master plan addresses community priorities from recreation and maintenance to ecological restoration.
"What we've tried to do is enhance the beautiful existing conditions but also add new amenities and facilities that meet the 21st-century needs of today's park user," he said.
Some of those amenities are designed to spread people out to avoid crowding.
A press event outlined key initiatives from the plan including expanding the park to the intersection of Piedmont Road and Monroe Drive, restoration of Lake Clara Meer, refreshing the oval track and trails, and making the park more accessible.
A new fundraising campaign called Seeds of the Future will enable the conservancy to assess the health of more than 3,000 trees, plant new ones and created a volunteer urban forestry stewardship program.
It's expected to take ongoing fundraising and a decade to implement fully.
