On December 12, 2015 southwest Atlanta residents were greeted with beautiful skies and an inviting atmosphere as the Atlanta BeltLine held its first neighborhood meet & greet at Kipp Strive Academy. Around 40 neighborhood residents came out to enjoy a jam packed day of fun and learning as the Atlanta BeltLine team was able to introduce themselves as the new neighbors on the block.
Neighborhood involvement is essential to the Atlanta BeltLine as the program will connect 45 neighborhoods through parks, trails, and transit. Southwest Atlanta residents will not only become neighbors to other Atlanta neighborhoods but neighbors to the Atlanta BeltLine as well. Ensuring strong relationships with residents is central to the goals of the Atlanta BeltLine program and opportunities such as this allowed for one-on-one interactions where the Atlanta BeltLine team really got to know their southwest Atlanta neighbors even more.
The day was filled with tons of kid-friendly activities and resident resources. The residents also received a personal tour of Westside Trail construction by Senior Landscape Architect Kevin Burke. Kevin guided residents through the corridor as well as answered any of their questions or concerns. The Atlanta Workforce Development Authority (AWDA) was also in attendance with career coaches who were eager about sharing job and training opportunities with residents. Some residents were able to walk away with new Atlanta BeltLine gear thanks to the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership.
Those residents along southwest Atlanta not in attendance should be on the lookout for the next neighborhood meet & greet with the Atlanta BeltLine team.
Once complete, the Westside Trail will be a 3-mile multi-use corridor with fourteen access points that will connect with the existing West End Trail. Construction is set to be complete in 2017. If you’re looking to find out more about the Atlanta BeltLine’s community engagement efforts, visit beltline.org/engage.
