“Key to the vision of the Atlanta BeltLine is the creation of economically and culturally vibrant, sustainable, mixed-income communities that are connected physically, civically, and socially that lead to a high quality of life for all residents,” said Atlanta BeltLine Partnership Executive Director Valarie Wilson. “Health is a key component of quality of life, and the public health benefits of the parks and trails we are investing in are substantial. We are grateful to have Coca-Cola’s continued support of the Atlanta BeltLine’s vision of a healthier, more active community.”

The grant was announced as part of $3.8 million awarded by The Coca-Cola Foundation to help fight the obesity epidemic in Georgia. In a press conference at the World of Coca-Cola with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of  The Coca-Cola Company, said  “We are inspiring our hometown of Atlanta and home state of Georgia to be active.”

The effort is part of Kent’s belief in the “golden triangle” of government, business and civil society working together to work on community issues and comes on the 127th birthday for the beverage giant.

“The Coca-Cola Company’s endorsement of health initiatives for the Atlanta BeltLine further reinforces the imperative role that the private sector plays in the development and implementation of the Atlanta BeltLine and programs to help engage the community in healthier, more active lifestyles,” said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.

In 2008, The Coca-Cola Company awarded the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership with $2 million to support the development of pedestrian trails in the West End section of Atlanta, which has become a center for physical activities such as walking, running, cycling, and other forms of recreation.

Congratulations to our race winners:

The Atlanta Police Department won the FitWit fitness challenge, but the Atlanta Fire Department takes home the trophy for the 2013 Atlanta BeltLine Police-Fire Challenge!

Top Male and Female Runners:

Male

1. Tee Mott – 16.34.8
2. Charlie McKnight – 17.36.4
3. Robert Buckley – 17.46.1

Female

1. Tara Gormley – 18.36.0
2. Candace Harrison – 18.41.1
3. Laura Worley – 19.46.4

Click here for complete race results!

Members of the Atlanta Fire Department round the last corner of the race.

Race Day Recap

We heard lots of great feedback from you all following the race! We hope you enjoyed all of the fun post-race activities. And, congratulations to our lucky raffle winners – our sponsors awarded some really exciting prizes – we hope you enjoy them!

• The Atlanta BeltLine Northside 1K Youth Fun Run challenged the kids while giving them an exciting sense of accomplishment. We are confident that there were some good naps that followed the race, and that’s what we call a win-win for parents and kids alike!
• The Atlanta Fire Department stole the show at the FitWit fitness challenge – but the Atlanta Police Department was ultimately victorious in securing the win for the Police-Fire Department Challenge.
• Atlanta Hawks UNIT 21 brought out the games with an arcade-style basketball hoop.
• Power 96.1 (formerly Wild 105.7) provided lively music.
• H.E.R.O. was on site, thanks to State Farm agent Cleo Meyer. Congratulations to Carlos Zomota for winning the Recovery Bucket raffle filled with sports drinks, protein bars and towels.
• Our Gold Sponsor Integral raffle – designed to raise funds to support the Atlanta Food Bank – awarded the awesome NIKE+FUELBAND to Kimberly Williams and an iPad mini to Jeanette Beraldi.
• VEININNOVATIONS raffle for a 1/2 hour sclerotherapy session that includes a venous ultrasound – spider vein treatment ($400 value) – was awarded to Annemarie Smith.

For those that registered for the Active Lifestyle Challenge, your participation in the Atlanta BeltLine Northside 5K earned you at least 250 points. You may have even earned more based on the challenges you set for yourself and your race results. Be sure to log into your profile to see how you did and what awards are available. We have an early front runner for the title of Atlanta BeltLine’s Most Active: Katie Oliff has earned at least 550 points!

Be sure to check out our photo album to relive the fun and see if you can find a photo of yourself!

Runners head into the finish line chute.

Keep Up the Momentum!

We hope to see you at our next Atlanta BeltLine Run Clubs at Park Tavern on Thursday, June 6th at 7 p.m. and one Wednesday, June 19  at 6:30 p.m. at West Stride.

If you have not already registered for the July 13th Atlanta BeltLine Southwest 5K, we recommend doing so as soon as possible. Last year’s event sold out well ahead of race day, so we were not able to offer race day registration. We’re gearing up for another awesome event – complete with the popular Atlanta Neighborhood Challenge!

And Last But Definitely Not Least…

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the 40+ awesome volunteers who so generously gave their time and talent, and our incredible sponsors who helped make this event a success

Award winners attended a ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. on April 25, 2013. The Atlanta BeltLine received the grand prize in the Environmental Communications Award.

Ethan Davidson, Director of Communications for Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., accepts the Environmental Communications Award in Washington D.C.

Below were the criteria for judging the award:

• Innovative approach to messaging or branding
• Future value to the water engineering profession
• Creativity and clarity in portraying and communicating the messages
• Effectiveness in delivery and achieving desired outcomes
• Integrated Design Approach – Narrative and visual elements work together to achieve the communication objectives.

The Partnership and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. collaborated on the award submission, which encapsulated all of the communications efforts since the project’s beginnings in 2005. Highlights of the award narrative included: media engagement in print and online at a local and national level; a website with a wealth of content including blog posts, maps, photos, and videos; a robust social media program; quarterly printed newsletter; weekly enewsletter; the Atlanta BeltLine tour program; the myriad of volunteer programs, including festivals and ambassadors; Art on the Atlanta BeltLine; the running series; and more.

We are extremely honored to be recognized and thank all of you who contribute to making the Atlanta BeltLine a reality!

ATLANTA – With approximately 1,100 acres of former industrial sites along the Atlanta BeltLine corridor, brownfield remediation is a significant component of this 22-mile urban redevelopment project. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes the significance of the Atlanta BeltLine and, on May 8 awarded $600,000 for the project to advance clean-up efforts for the northeast corridor from Monroe Drive to its terminus near Buford Highway. This new investment is funded by EPA’s Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) grants and will be awarded to Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. through Invest Atlanta, the City of Atlanta’s redevelopment agent.

“Brownfields sites are community assets and a key component of the Obama Administration’s efforts to provide tools to sustainably revitalize communities and foster economic development,” said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “Through these grant resources local communities can continue to assess, cleanup and redevelop properties to meet local needs for jobs, housing and recreation while protecting people’s health and the local environment.”

“We are extremely pleased that the U.S. EPA continues to support the Atlanta BeltLine, one of the most impactful projects in the county,” said Brian McGowan, President and CEO of Invest Atlanta.

In addition, the Atlanta BeltLine will take center stage in this year’s bi-annual National Brownfields Conference, co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The conference is the largest training and networking event in the nation focusing on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment and is designed to bring together stakeholders in government, business, nonprofits, and academia who promote positive change in their community. Now in its 15th year, the event attracts thousands of attendees and 200 exhibitors for two and a half days of educational sessions, training workshops, volunteer activities, mobile workshops, film screenings and much more.

“The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Region 4, and Georgia Environmental Protection Division are integral partners in the Atlanta BeltLine and we are thrilled to showcase the project to a national audience,” said Lisa Gordon, COO and Interim Leader for Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. “We are looking forward to sharing and learning best practices with projects from around the country.”

The conference opens on May 15, 2013 at the Georgia World Congress Center with Atlanta BeltLine visionary Ryan Gravel as the featured speaker for the Opening Plenary Session. Over three days, the Educational Program will offer the Atlanta BeltLine bus tour of the full 22-mile loop; a tour of Ponce City Market for a first-hand look into how the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail is revolutionizing development; and ABI staff are participating on three panels. More than 100 sessions round out the conference.

On the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, an EPA revolving loan fund provided $850,000 for remediation of the site before construction commenced. In all, approximately 1,700 tons of contaminated soil was removed over 2.25 miles. This process is now serving as a model for the rest of the 22-mile corridor. Historic Fourth Ward Park converted 17 acres of industrial wasteland into a grand recreational greenspace for a neighborhood that lacked this kind of amenity.

There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated brownfield sites in the United States. More than 20,000 properties have been assessed, and more than 850 properties have been cleaned up through EPA’s Brownfields program. EPA’s Brownfields investments have also leveraged more than $19 billion in overall cleanup and redevelopment funding from public and private sources. On average $17.79 is leveraged for every EPA Brownfields grant dollar spent. These investments resulted in approximately 87,000 jobs nationwide. When Brownfields are addressed, nearby property values can increase 2-3 percent. A 2011 pilot study indicated Brownfields site redevelopment increases location efficiency, which means that residents live closer to where they work and play reducing their commute times and greenhouse gas emissions. EPA’s preliminary research has also shown that redeveloping Brownfield sites results in an efficient reuse of existing infrastructure and decreasing instances of stormwater runoff. These projects can have a positive impact on community revitalization by leveraging jobs, producing clean energy, and providing recreation opportunities for surrounding neighborhoods.

For more information on the National Brownfields Conference, please visit: www.brownfieldsconference.org

Read more about environmental progress and the Atlanta BeltLine.

It was my real estate development professor at UGA that told me about the Atlanta BeltLine. I moved back to Atlanta for work after graduating and, not too long afterwards, contacted Rob Brawner and Valarie Wilson about ways to get involved with the Atlanta BeltLine. I think it is a great project for Atlanta and have grown to learn the significant impact it will have not only on Atlanta but the country.

Along with urban development, Evan is an advocate for alternative modes of transportation, particularly rail transit: “I believe the next 50 years will be the resurgence of trains. People forget that only 60 years ago, trains were still a dominant mode of transportation and have been for over 100 years. Commercial train use has done well in recent years, too.” Evan believes that Atlanta is on the brink of becoming a more livable, walkable city, and that the Atlanta BeltLine and the Atlanta Streetcar will both be catalysts for this transformation.

To show his support for the transit-oriented development goals of the Atlanta BeltLine project, Evan has volunteered his time in a variety of ways. He has participated in the Earth Day spring cleanup every year since 2010 and also donated his time to a fall 2011 cleanup of an Atlanta BeltLine section adopted by his alma mater, the University of Georgia. He joined the pilot ambassador program and became an ambassador for the northeast section of the Atlanta BeltLine. He has also actively engaged the community, talking with people and handing out pamphlets to local businesses. You may have even spotted him answering questions at the Atlanta BeltLine booth at a number of festivals around Atlanta. Evan’s propensity for community engagement is time well spent, as he feels that “getting people in the community involved is great, essential, and contagious.” Thank you, Evan, for all you do!

Have you caught the community engagement bug? Find out more about volunteering with the Atlanta BeltLine at Volunteer.BeltLine.org, or learn how to become an Atlanta BeltLine Ambassador.

View the Earth Day photo gallery.

Volunteers distribute buckets of grass plugs along the Eastside Trail.

Volunteers were divided up into six zones stretching from N. Highland Avenue north to Angier Springs, just south of North Avenue. Teams of two to three volunteer worked to plant buckets full of plugs within carefully plotted boxes painted on the ground using bamboo “measuring sticks” for spacing. At least a dozen different species of young native grass and wildflower shoots are now rooting along the Eastside Trail. Fence installation teams pounded posts up and down the trail and lined the newly planted beds with teal construction fencing (fencing will stay up about six months – long enough for the grasses to establish). A smaller group dedicated themselves to carting and spreading pounds of compost over tilled earth.

Read more about the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail native grass planting.

Spread out over 1.5 acres, volunteers planted 20,000 native grass plugs, as seen here near “Three Tree Hill.”

The morning kicked off with an introduction to the projects for the day and the presentation of a giant check to Keep Atlanta Beautiful. As a sign of appreciation for all of their efforts around the city, Waste Management donated $4,000 to Keep Atlanta Beautiful to further their mission.

Waste Management donated $4,000 to the non-profit Keep Georgia Beautiful, who distributed funds to organizations like Keep Atlanta Beautiful and other partners in support of Earth Day events across the state.

All in all, 20 percent of the total area slated for planting this spring was accomplished in one day. This Earth Day (our seventh one!) called for significant preparation. Trees Atlanta staff spray painted blue boxes on the dirt for the various species of grasses and wildflowers; they counted out the correct number of grass plugs for each species and placed them into big black buckets; they cut dozens of “measuring sticks” out of bamboo to give volunteers a fool-proof way to space out the plants; and they marked each of the black buckets with the proper species and zone for planting.

The thankless job of spreading fragrant compost.

Want to see how it’s all coming along? The weather is perfect for getting out and checking out the trail! Whether you’re on the trail daily or haven’t yet visited, the sights change every day. Please be mindful of the construction fencing, which will stay up for approximately six months in order for the grasses and wildflowers to properly root. You will also see white irrigation pipes running the length of the trail and Trees Atlanta trucks out watering. All of this is in support of the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum, which will ultimately ring the entire 22 miles of the project.

You can also take a volunteer docent-led tour of the Eastside Trail every Friday and Saturday morning – just sign up on tours.beltline.org!

Volunteers wrapping up after a morning filled with grass plugs!

Eastside Trail Extension through Reynoldstown

The section of the project between Edgewood Avenue and Memorial Drive presents a few design obstacles that are under discussion now. One of the challenges is navigating around Hulsey Yard – the CSX railroad yard that runs parallel to DeKalb Avenue. This rail yard divides eastside neighborhoods and presents a major connectivity challenge to the Atlanta BeltLine, which means the multi-use path dead-ends into DeKalb Avenue. How should pedestrians and cyclists get from one side of Hulsey Yard to the other?

Once construction is complete on the section of Edgewood Avenue that passes over the Atlanta BeltLine, the Eastside Trail will continue down to DeKalb Avenue. Hulsey Yard, owned and operated by CSX, can be seen in the background.

Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., the PATH Foundation and the City of Atlanta are currently working on the design together for this intersection. The City is planning pedestrian and bike improvements to Krog and DeKalb. The multi-use path will then transition to existing (but improved) sidewalks and go under Hulsey Yard via the Krog tunnel. Pedestrians will utilize the sidewalk and cyclists will be in-street. Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. and the City of Atlanta are working to improve the pavement in the tunnel, add sharrows (painted symbols indicating that bikes can take up a lane of traffic), and add lighting.

A similar challenge exists at the southern end of Reynoldstown where the trail leaves the old railroad corridor at Memorial Drive. Design for the stretch of trail through Reynoldstown is currently underway and an important consideration is how a high volume of trail users will cross this busy street. In addition, a ramp will be built from the Atlanta BeltLine corridor down to Mauldin Street.

Here is a quick reference breakdown of each section and how they will form one continuous trail, starting at the current southern terminus of the Eastside Trail at Lake Avenue / Irwin Street:

• Irwin Street to DeKalb Avenue: Once the Edgewood Avenue bridge over this section of trail is complete in early 2014 (follow the construction progress here), construction will commence to extend the current Eastside Trail down to DeKalb Avenue. The replacement of the Edgewood Bridge will also provide a ramp and stair connection from the bridge to the Atlanta BeltLine corridor below.
• DeKalb Avenue to Krog tunnel: The trail will leave the railroad corridor and transition to sidewalks along DeKalb Avenue. Design is underway for how pedestrians and cyclists will cross DeKalb Avenue.
• Through the Krog Street tunnel: The path will continue under Hulsey Yard via the Krog tunnel. Pedestrians will utilize the sidewalk and and cyclists will be in-street.
• Krog Street along Wylie Street to the railroad corridor: Making a left (east) out of the Krog tunnel, the path will continue along Wylie Street with bicycle improvements and streetscapes.
• From Wylie Street to Memorial Drive: Just before Flat Shoals Avenue, the path re-enters the old railroad corridor and continues south to Memorial Drive with one at-grade crossing at Kirkwood Avenue and a ramp connection to Mauldin Street /Fulton Terrace.

The Eastside Trail through Reynoldstown is one of the interim hiking trails that has been open for a few years. It has also showcased temporary art as part of Art on the Atlanta BeltLine, seen above.

• From Memorial Drive to Glenwood Avenue: Funding has not yet been secured for this segment. The plan is for the path to run alongside Bill Kennedy Way on the west side of the road (alongside A&P Lofts), cross over I-20, and pass behind Ecos apartments (via Faith Avenue and Chester Avenue) before terminating at Glenwood Avenue.   In the interim, residents of Glenwood Park, Grant Park and Ormewood Park can use the existing sidewalks along the east side of Bill Kennedy Way to access the Eastside Trail at Memorial Drive.

The Atlanta BeltLine corridor looking south to Memorial Drive through Reynoldstown.

We will continue to post updates on design and construction of this segment as information becomes available.

• Ammazza Pizza, 591 Edgewood Ave SE  Atlanta, GA 30312
  
• Chocolate Fudge Salon, 619 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
• Edgewood Tires, 700 Edgewood NE Ave, Atlanta, GA 30307, (678) 698-3058
• Indigo Bar & Rooftop Lounge, 619 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
• Inertia Films, 585 Ezzard St. SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
• The Lighting Loft, 593 Edgewood Ave SE  Atlanta, GA 30312
• Miso Izakaya, 619 Edgewood Ave SE Atlanta, GA 30312
• Mister and Miss Einsteins Ice Cream & Coffee, 572 Edgewood Ave NE #118  Atlanta, GA 30312
• Montage O4W Apartments, 626 SE. Dekalb Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30312
• The Storage Neighbor, 660 Edgewood Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
• Thumbs Up Diner, 573 Edgewood Ave, SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
• Travisdowdy, 619 Edgewood Avenue Southeast #102, Atlanta, GA 30312
• Vantage Realty Partners, 619 Edgewood Avenue SE, Suite T-101, Atlanta, Georgia 30312
• Your Certified Locksmith, 700 Edgewood NE Ave, Atlanta, GA 30307, (404) 658-9200

The volunteer kick-off began with a presentation from the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership giving an overview of the myriad ways to get involved.

The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership spearheads all of the volunteer programs across the project, including:

• Atlanta BeltLine Ambassadors
• Neighborhood festival program
• Speakers’ Bureau
• Special events
• Administrative help in the office
• Adopt the Atlanta BeltLine

The evening included a presentation with an overview of all of these programs and an update on all of the exciting progress underway on the Atlanta BeltLine corridor and behind the scenes. You can view the volunteer kick-off photo album here. Learn more and see how you can get involved at volunteer.beltline.org!

Volunteers packed the front room at H. Harper Station.

The light blue section denotes where the Atlanta BeltLine interim hiking trail will close temporarily. The Piedmont Park expansion can be seen to the top right, between the path and Piedmont Avenue and Monroe Drive.

Want to learn more about the Piedmont Park expansion? The Conservancy is offering a behind-the-scenes walking tour on Sunday, April 28, 2013. From the Parkland Expansion Tour webpage:

Put your walking shoes on and bike, walk or jog over to Piedmont Park on Sunday, April 28^th for a behind the scenes tour of newly created parkland that will give all surrounding neighborhoods new access to Atlanta’s favorite green oasis and the Beltline. The walking tour takes off at 4pm, from Piedmont Park Conservancy’s maintenance building (at the end of Westminster Drive off of Piedmont Avenue). Be the first to walk through Walker Woods, see Clear Creek restoration up close, cross the new foot bridges on Piedmont Commons and see the new gateways into the Park. You will also get an update on where the Conservancy is on the project, find out when it will be done and learn how you can help keep these new amenities in the same tip top condition we have come to expect in the historic Park.  Please walk, bike or take Marta and note that shoes must be closed toe and be fit for walking in dirt or gravel.  If you must drive, parking is available in the SAGE parking facility and on Westminster Drive.

Click here for more information and to reserve your spot on the Piedmont Park Conservancy’s Expansion Tour.

This map from the Piedmont Park Conservancy shows the expansion in the context of the walking tour. North is to the right in this image.