Friday, April 29, 2016
Spring has come to Atlanta and with it warm temperatures and blue skies. What better way to celebrate than to get outside, especially before it gets too hot!
I headed down to Historic Fourth Ward Park on Friday to do just that. And I wasn’t the only one either. People were walking, strolling, exercising and playing along the different sections of the greenspace that starts at North Ave., next to what used to be the home of The Masquerade, and stretches back to Ralph McGill Blvd. What once was an empty lot filled with trash has been transformed into an amazing park, complete with pond, playground, stage seating, a fountain, waterfalls, a splash pad, nicely groomed trees and meadows and paved paths winding throughout the space. The area around the park has received a facelift as well. As of now the long sides of the park are surrounded by higher end apartments. The short side at North Ave. dead ends into Ponce City Market and there are plans to continue to develop the area. The Masquerade will be transformed into a mixed use property that will take up acres upon acres on the other side.

AMLI Ponce Park (left) and Ponce City Market can be seen from the meadow at Historic Fourth Ward Park.

A crane overlooks Historic Fourth Ward Park from the lake. What else is in store for the neighborhood that surrounds the park?

Ponce City Market can be seen in the distance from the top of the stairs overlooking the lake at Historic Fourth Ward Park.

Dean Brooks enjoys himself on the playground at Historic Fourth Ward Park. Camden Fourth Ward overlooks the playground and the grounds.

Camden Fourth Ward and AMLI Old 4th Ward overlook the playground and grounds at Historic Fourth Ward Park.