We’re witnessing a transformative moment for Atlanta’s Westside as several major initiatives come together to create lasting positive change in our communities. Through our Advancing the Vision campaign, generous donors are supporting the creation of two new parks along the Atlanta Beltline’s Westside corridor while ensuring current residents are able to enjoy the benefits these parks will provide.
Connecting Communities to New Greenspaces
Construction is well underway on Westside Trail – Segment 4, which is anticipated to open this summer. Filling the gap between Washington Park and West Marietta Street, its completion will result in 8.2 miles of continuous Beltline trail connecting 18 neighborhoods along the Beltline’s Westside and Southside. Residents will be able to use the Beltline to visit two exciting new park developments that will serve our Westside communities.
At the Bike Park at Westside Park, the Beltline is creating an intown Atlanta cycling destination for everyone. The park will feature trails for mountain biking and BMX riding, a skills course for cyclists of all riding abilities, and a dedicated “bicycle playground” where children can learn cycling fundamentals. The park’s all-wheels pump track welcomes skateboarders, scooter riders, and rollerbladers alongside cyclists. This innovative and ADA-accessible park will provide both a recreational destination for diverse enthusiasts and a safe environment where people and families can enjoy outdoor activities together.
Just a trail ride away, Enota Park will transform 8 acres in the historic Westview neighborhood into a vibrant community gathering space. The park’s design includes accessible walking paths, flexible open spaces for community events, basketball courts, a splash pad, playgrounds, and multi-purpose fields for sports and activities. Complementing these lively areas are quiet spaces for reflection. The Beltline has worked closely with neighborhood residents to ensure this new greenspace meets their needs while preserving the area’s character.
These parks represent more than just new recreational spaces. We know from experience and research that access to quality parks and trails leads to improved health outcomes, increased physical activity and enhanced quality of life. The location of these parks along the Beltline’s Westside corridor ensures these benefits reach communities that have historically seen underinvestment in greenspaces and have had limited access to quality parks.
Preserving Our Community’s Legacy
As we make these transformative investments in our Westside communities, we remain deeply committed to ensuring long-time residents can benefit from neighborhood improvements while building generational wealth. Our philanthropically-funded Legacy Resident Retention Program (LRRP), Atlanta’s largest anti-displacement initiative, currently supports 250 low-income residents by covering property tax increases above 2019 levels.
Not only does the program enable long-time homeowners to remain in their communities along the Westside and Southside Beltline, it also empowers them with increased wealth as the Beltline helps their property values appreciate. On average, participants in the LRRP for at least a year have experienced a nearly $50,000 increase in their home’s value since they joined.
The LRRP serves residents in the same Westside communities where new Beltline parks are being developed. It creates a comprehensive approach to community development by ensuring homeowners who lived in their neighborhoods before the Beltline arrived in their areas can stay in place and build equity in their homes while enjoying new amenities and opportunities the Beltline provides.
A Vision Coming Together
We’re excited about how these initiatives work together to create lasting positive change. When complete, people will be able to travel from Enota Park to Westside Park along the Beltline, accessing new recreational opportunities while remaining rooted in their communities. The combination of new parks, greenspaces, improved connectivity and support for longtime community members creates a model for equitable development that we believe will benefit Atlanta for generations to come.
Through our Advancing the Vision campaign, Atlanta Beltline Partnership, the Beltline’s foundation, is raising the final $10 million needed to fully deliver these transformative park projects and increase enrollment in the Legacy Resident Retention Program.
This remaining investment will build on more than $165 million that has already been generously donated to the campaign to construct the mainline Beltline trail and connector trails, open the first phase of Westside Park, support permanently affordable housing, and deliver numerous programs that promote health and wellness, engage volunteers and advocates, and foster economic opportunity.
The philanthropic community has already shown tremendous support for the Beltline, and your additional investment can help bring the full vision to life. Every contribution helps us create more connected, livable and equitable communities along the Beltline corridor. We invite you to be part of this transformative moment for Atlanta’s Westside where your support will help ensure these initiatives reach their full potential, creating lasting positive impact for Westside residents and the broader Atlanta community.
For more information about these initiatives or to support our Advancing the Vision campaign, email development@atlblp.org, call 404-446-4404, or visit beltline.org
You can also follow us on social media: @atlantabeltline
This is sponsored content.
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