|
|
CELEBRATE! On Tuesday, March 3, NPU-C voted to support the Park Pride Community Microgrant titled "Caring for the Seniors" to support mature tree care on the Peachtree Battle Avenue median parks. Park Pride has notified the PBA that a $1,000 microgrant has been awarded for the project which will take place within the next six months. 2009 PARKS COMMITTEE PLAN The Peachtree Battle Alliance is a neighborhood civic association within NPU-C encompassing three historic neighborhoods in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, including Haynes Manor, Westover, and parts of Peachtree Heights Park. Bounded by West Wesley on the north, Habersham and Peachtree on the east, Peachtree Creek on the south, and Northside on the west, the PBA has approximately 578 residences within its boundaries. Membership in 2009 is nearly 400 to date. Parks Committee Purpose To ensure the integrity, safety and beauty of neighborhood common areas including neighborhood entrances, parkway median islands and natural green space, in a fiscally responsible and professional manner, taking into account the historical context of these important cultural landscapes by providing oversight, planning, funding and volunteers toward those ends. Parks Committee Strategic Goals To establish and maintain communication with interested stakeholders including the Board of Directors of the PBA, City of Atlanta Parks Department, Park Pride, E. Rivers Elementary School, Bobby Jones Golf Course, PATH foundation, interested neighbors, Habersham Garden Club and Haynes Manor Garden Club about issues related to maintenance and planning for neighborhood common grounds and green space To call on the services of consulting landscape architect Spencer Tunnell as necessary and as funds permit to provide professional guidance and direction for plans related to improvement of the common grounds and green space of the community To seek financial support from the Peachtree Battle Alliance for an enhanced level of maintenance of neighborhood green spaces to supplement work done by the City of Atlanta Parks Department To seek other funding opportunities to carry out the plans of the Parks Committee. Parks Committee Planned Scope of Work To provide oversight, planning and general maintenance supplementing work of the City of Atlanta for the common grounds and green spaces within PBA boundaries including: Peachtree Battle parkway median islands, Haynes Manor Park running parallel to Northside Drive between Sagamore and Peachtree Battle Avenue, the strip of green space on the north side of Peachtree Creek between Northside Drive and the grounds of Bobby Jones Golf Course, Woodward Way Park at the corner of Habersham and Woodward Way, Sibley Park parcels at West Wesley and Habersham, and entrances to the neighborhood at Peachtree and Northside Drive. To continue the active tree replacement program underway in the community in collaboration with Trees Atlanta and tree recompense contractors to find appropriate locations for trees in public areas that will benefit the tree replacement goals of the community To work with the PATH Foundation on maintenance and an enhanced landscape buffer along the PATH trail To communicate with AT&T to ensure implementation of an attractive and appropriate landscape plan for VRAD boxes at Sagamore end of Haynes Manor Park To communicate with DOT about landscape maintenance of right of way on Northside Drive between Sagamore and Peachtree Battle To contract with ArborMedics (certified arborist) to provide corrective pruning and fertilization as necessary for mature trees in the Peachtree Battle Avenue median islands To file a microgrant application with Park Pride to support the work of ArborMedics on mature tree care To address litter issues within boundaries of the Peachtree Battle Alliance To contract with ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance to provide landscape management services, including mulch applications, blowing and picking up of debris, limited mowing, and other services as defined in the contract To communicate with interested neighbors, seek funding and hire contractors to clean up Woodward Way Park and Sibley Parks, control exotic invasive vegetation, and provide ongoing maintenance To collaborate with Peachtree Heights Park Civic Association to explore future plans for enhanced maintenance of Sibley Park To support development of appropriate landscape plans in conjunction with the PBA Traffic Committee projects To support occasional clean up efforts for the portion of Peachtree Creek between Peachtree Road and Northside Drive, staffed by neighborhood volunteers To contract with Michael Shadrick to conduct corrective pruning and support survival of the donated Overcup Oak on the east side of the Habersham crossover between east and west bound Peachtree Battle Avenue To contract with Spencer Tunnell of Tunnell and Tunnell Landscape Architects as needed for professional design services To communicate with and consider funding small financial grants for Eagle Scout candidates undertaking projects in the neighborhood To communicate with Bobby Jones Golf Course management and, if necessary, management of the American Golf Corp. and the City of Atlanta Parks Department to promote enhanced maintenance of the grounds and formulation and implementation of a tree replacement plan PARKS COMMITTEE PROJECTS GREENING THE ALLIANCE: RESTORING THE URBAN FOREST Adopted by the Parks Committee on February 24, 2009 Trees dominate first impressions of the three historic neighborhoods of the Peachtree Battle Alliance. Their presence is not accidental, as demonstrated by early news articles and advertisements describing Peachtree Heights Park (1910), Collins Park (1922)/ later known as Blue Rock Heights (1925) and Westover (1927), and Haynes Manor (1925). The neighborhood trees, native and planted, were an intentional, defining aspect of the various developers’ plans and visions. They were considered a measure of value, an indication of a conservation focus, a symbol of the pastoral life promised in the newly-developed garden suburbs for residents intent on escaping the commercialized city center of Atlanta. Trees remain an enduring design feature of early developers’ visions for the land that is today’s Peachtree Battle Alliance community. Tree forms tower above, mute edges and set the framework for houses of differing eras, sizes and styles. Trees constitute a primary architectural element of the neighborhoods and contribute to the cultural landscape of the community. The historic urban forest reminds Alliance neighbors of the conservation legacy of those who came before us and challenges today’s residents to preserve and restore the tree resource that we have inherited. The importance of this message extends beyond the beautification of the neighborhoods. Trees are viewed as a critical environmental feature of the urban environment. Trees freshen the air, reduce storm water runoff, mitigate urban heat islands, increase wildlife habitat, and increase property values. "Greening the Alliance: Restoring the Urban Forest" is the tree replacement and preservation program of the Peachtree Battle Alliance Parks Committee. Goals of restoring and maintaining the urban forest canopy while educating neighbors about tree resources within the Peachtree Battle Alliance neighborhood involve a multi-faceted approach and partnerships with knowledgeable professionals and community groups. The program encompasses the strategic addition of replacement trees through collaboration with Trees Atlanta and recompense arborists working with Clean Water Atlanta in consultation with PBA consulting Landscape Architect Spencer Tunnell. In order to plan for wise use of replacement trees, the Peachtree Battle Alliance, through a gift from the Haynes Manor Garden Club, commissioned base maps of the neighborhood featuring site analysis for tree replacement by zone prepared by Landscape Architect Spencer Tunnell. These maps and tree lists have facilitated the selection and situation of replacement trees throughout the neighborhoods. Mr. Tunnell has reviewed and consulted on recompense tree planting plans for the community. To educate the neighborhood, articles on trees have been published in the Battle Cry newsletter and Trees Atlanta email blasts will inform residents of tree care tips for young trees planted in the January PBA/Trees Atlanta NeighborWoods event. Preservation of mature trees in the neighborhood is another goal of “Greening the Alliance” and a focus of the Peachtree Battle Alliance’s application for a Park Pride micro grant. The old trees throughout the community are in varied states of health. Unfortunately, many of the most prominent mature trees are the mighty Water Oaks, which tower over the streets, casting shade in summer and contributing strong structural elements to the landscape. At approximately 80 years of age, many of these trees are reaching the end of the species’ life span, suffering from drought damage and harboring heart rot, which guarantees their demise. The prospect of the aesthetic and ecological loss of the massive oaks, coupled with concerns for safety and liability, has raised awareness of the need for active attention to the maintenance of these and other old trees in the community. An important step in this objective to initiate an annual program of corrective pruning and appropriate fertilization based on soil tests for mature trees in parks within the Alliance. If the Alliance can sponsor a program of care for mature trees on public land within the community, it will demonstrate and provide model approaches for care of old trees on private property, thus contributing to the education goal of “Greening the Alliance”. The Peachtree Battle Avenue median parks serve as the primary entrance to the community, and provide an ideal “outdoor classroom” for demonstration of techniques in the care of a variety of mature trees. The first median park parcel is maintained by the Atlanta Fulton County Public Schools, and houses the Lodge, a 1911 structure designed by New York architects Carrere & Hastings as the real estate office of E. Rivers Realty, developer of Peachtree Heights Park. This original median park expanded to include additional median parks on land donated by Peachtree Heights Park Company in 1915 and first paved in 1925 according to a plat drawn by local engineer Littleton H. Fitzpatrick. Since the 1920’s, local garden clubs and volunteers have carried out landscaping and maintenance of the median parks. The Habersham Garden Club, continuously since 1932, has funded and staffed care of the memorial garden located in the median between Nacoochee and Habersham. In the 1930’s, the Primrose Garden Club adopted an area of the median as their civic project. In 1937, the Neighborhood Garden Club planted the giant ginkgo trees at the intersection of Peachtree Road and Peachtree Battle Avenue. Today, the Haynes Manor Garden Club organizes and funds annual clean up and planting days in the median parks. The Peachtree Battle Alliance, founded in the 1960’s and incorporated in 1974, has made parks maintenance a volunteer and funding priority since the beginning and continuing today. The Peachtree Battle Alliance Parks Committee remains committed to the goal of preserving, restoring and maintaining the urban forest of the community and educating the neighborhood about the trees within its green spaces. SIBLEY PARK AT WOODWARD WAY RENOVATION With the leadership of Betsy Glenn and other concerned neighbors, members of the Parks Committee have been exploring a plan to clean up Sibley Park at Woodward Way at the northwest corner of Woodward Way and Habersham Road. This 1.67-acre Atlanta City conservation park is in a state of neglect and out of step with surrounding residential landscapes. Some nearby neighbors are concerned about its derelict appearance, which is overgrown with non-native vegetation and littered with massive trunks and stumps from storm-fallen trees as well as trash dumped by passers by. The City Parks Department classifies the park as a natural area and therefore does not provide maintenance. They recently posted a “no dumping” sign at the site. Peachtree Battle Neighborhood Improvement, Inc., the 501(c)3 charitable organization for Alliance neighborhood projects, has voted to support the project, encourages donations for this purpose, and has agreed to accept checks to support the clean up of Sibley Park at Woodward Way. PBNI is an independent charitable organization, affiliated neither with none of the project volunteers. A letter describing the project was informally distributed to neighbors on Woodward Way and Habersham near the park. The letter outlined ideas for the park renovation and solicited feedback, encouraging thoughts about the plan and whether or not neighbors considered the renovation scheme a good idea. Since cleaning up the park will happen only if private funds can be raised, the letter asked recipients whether or not they would be willing to contribute financially to make this project possible. Through the generous support of neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Smithgall, a topographical survey was completed. A pro bono landscape plan is being drawn by Landscape Architect John Howard of Howard Design Studio LLC. We are gratified to report that nearly $4,700 in donations with an additional unspecified grant from an anonymous foundation have been raised by June, and look forward with appreciation to receiving any additional donations that might be awarded for this project. Questions may be directed to judytindel@aol.com <mailto:judytindel@aol.com> . IMPORTANT UPDATE With prompting from neighbor Marion Hill, the City of Atlanta conducted research on the parcel of land known as Woodward Way Park and confirmed that the land is actually one of three parcels re-named in honor of John A. Sibley in 1984. In a resolution adopted on November 19, 1984 and approved by the Mayor on November 21, 1984, the Council of the City of Atlanta voted to change the names of two parcels of land known as Habersham Park and one parcel of land known as Woodward Way Park to Sibley Park in Honor of John A. Sibley. While two parcels were officially renamed in City listings, Woodward Way Park was overlooked and has been listed among Atlanta City Parks under its old name. The mistake will be corrected and the park will be properly designated in the future. Thanks to Mrs. Hill for her assistance in clearing up this error. SIBLEY
PARK HISTORY The three parcels of land called Sibley Park were designated as public green space on the first plat of Peachtree Heights Park designed by New York architects Carrere & Hastings in 1910-11. Identified as “parkway”, the parcels contained the streamside setting of a tributary of Peachtree Creek as it meandered through forest reservations and under West Wesley Road and Habersham Road before making its way to the Creek. Records at the Kenan Research Center of the Atlanta History Center tell a later story of the parks. On February 1, 1928, Eretus Rivers, President of the Peachtree Heights Park Company deeded the three parcels to Fulton County for the sum of ten dollars. “The within described parcels of land are conveyed to said party of the second part for PARK PURPOSES and are to be perpetually maintained by it as such. Should any or all of the said tracts be abandoned or used for any purpose other than as Parks then the properties are to revert to the grantor, its successors or assigns.”(Fulton County Minutes of the Commissioners of Roads and Revenues). In 1937, the Peachtree Garden Club developed plans to improve what were described as “two vacant lots at the northeast and southeast corners of Wesley Avenue and Habersham Road”. The intention was to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the land with shrubbery, nature trails, birdbaths, lights, and park benches to provide the area with two “greatly needed” new parks. (Atlanta History Center, Garden Club Scrapbooks) In 1984, the Peachtree Battle Alliance and Peachtree Heights Civic Association proposed and the City Council passed an ordinance naming the park parcels in honor of John Adams Sibley. Today, Sibley Park is suffering impacts from sewer work as mature trees are removed to permit work on the sewer lines. The park would benefit from the quality oversight and attention provided by earlier residents of the community. Starting in March, ValleyCrest, the landscape maintenance company under contract with the Peachtree Battle Alliance, added the borders of Sibley Park to its weekly maintenance schedule. THANKS TO OUR GARDEN CLUB PARTNERS The Habersham Garden Club has continuously maintained the Habersham Memorial Garden on the Peachtree Battle Avenue median between Habersham Road and Nacoochee Drive since 1932. Please notice the beautiful garden spot as you drive by and take a stroll in the lovely garden this spring! The Haynes Manor Garden Club provides planting and maintenance of the Dellwood median island as well as the entrance island under the gingko trees. In addition, through generous donations of funds, the garden club funded the development of site analysis base maps of the three historic neighborhoods of the Alliance neighborhood crafted by landscape architect Spencer Tunnell. The base maps record soil and slope conditions throughout the neighborhood and have been used as an important tool guiding tree replacement initiatives. They will be posted on the web site in the near future. PBA PARK PARTNERS The Parks Committee appreciates the support offered by the Joel Family in the care of the Nacoochee birdbath garden, Eagle Scout candidate Robert Hayes in his projects on the median parks, Chris Hastings of ArborMedics who has provided pro bono services in the care of the Peachtree Battle Avenue gingko trees planted in 1937 by the Neighborhood Garden Club, Eagle Scout candidate Jonathan O'Connor with his project at the Bobby Jones corner, and other volunteers and supporters from the community. Thanks from the entire neighborhood! TREES ATLANTA NEIGHBORWOODS PROJECT On January 10, more than 50 volunteers from the neighborhood and Trees Atlanta planted 53 trees at 30 sites on Montview, Dellwood, Woodward Way, Nacoochee, Sagamore, Havenridge, Peachtree Battle, Whitmore, Manor Ridge, West Wesley, Westover, and Brookdale. Following the event, Trees Atlanta returned to the neighborhood to add several more trees, including three additional American Elms to the new streetscape on lower Dellwood. Donations of over $500 were presented to Trees Atlanta by neighbors. Thanks to Susan Pierce of Trees Atlanta and to Tina Maddox for assisting in coordinating the event. MAPS OF GREEN SPACE WITHIN THE PEACHTREE BATTLE ALLIANCE NEIGHBORHOOD
Credit: City of Atlanta, DPRCA Woodward Way Park Sibley Park Haynes Manor Park Green spaces bordering the north bank of Peachtree Creek Peachtree Battle Median Parks
|
