Trust for Public Land (TPL) met its $18.15 million philanthropic funding goal to build out the Chattahoochee RiverLands Showcase site, which features a greenway trail, new parkland and enhance water access along a 2.7-mile section of river connecting Smyrna to Mableton. Local, State and Federal partners are expected to contribute an additional $25 million to build the Showcase.
The Showcase site is being developed as a proof of concept to help the public, government officials, and civic leaders visualize what the proposed 100-mile linear park through the heart of one of America’s largest metro regions will be.
“Reaching our philanthropic goal was a key accomplishment towards bringing the Chattahoochee RiverLands vision to life. Construction has begun, and it’s truly exciting to see this vision become reality, “ said George Dusenbury, Georgia State Director at Trust for Public Land. “This is the first step for the project that will continue to unfold and evolve over several decades as it connects a corridor through the entirety of Metro Atlanta along the river.”
The Atlanta Regional Commission, TPL, Cobb County and the City of Atlanta published the RiverLands study in 2020, outlining how this massive project would bring people to the water’s edge, promote stewardship and conservation of the river, and reveal the subtle magic of the Chattahoochee to all. In 2021, TPL made the decision to partner with Cobb County to build a 2.7 section of the RiverLands, including new parks, water access and greenway trail. This pilot project, the RiverLands Showcase, will demonstrate the potential of the RiverLands to provide equitable access to the river, new recreational amenities, and connection to the outdoors.
The showcase site starts just south of the Proctor Creek confluence and runs to Mableton Parkway, through industrial areas, commercial development, woodlands and wetlands – a true microcosm for the 100 miles anticipated for the entire project. The…
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