Clifton Community Partnership

Five Questions article:
Five Questions with George Dusenbury, executive director, Park Pride
May 29, 2008
Source: Community Partnership Update/April 2007

1. How did Park Pride become involved with the park in Druid Hills?

We were asked to get involved by the head of the Burbanck Park Development Committee, Ciannat Howett. As the head of Emory’s Sustainability Initiative, Howett asked that we share our expertise with park development and serve as fiscal partners as this project takes shape.

Community motivation is the most important thing we look for when deciding whether to get involved with a local park. Is the community driven to make this park a success? In the case of Burbanck Park, Emory and the Druid Hills Civic Association were working together with a common vision to carve out a residential lot and return it to its natural state for community use.

2. Burbanck Park is small; why is it so important?

It is small–about an acre and a quarter—but it’s a new park in a developed area, plus it’s environmentally sensitive given that Peavine Creek runs through the property.

We sometimes take parks for granted, but conservation begins in our own backyards and parks. When Burbanck Park is dedicated on Earth Day the community is going to gain a real jewel on Peavine Creek.

3. How is Park Pride involved with the BeltLine?

The BeltLine is an enormous, long-term project that will evolve during the next 20 to 25 years. Park Pride is a key partner in the development of parks and greenspace along the BeltLine. We were early supporters of the project and strongly supported the BeltLine as a once-in-a-lifetime project that could add more than 1,000 acres of new parks in Atlanta and increase the city’s park space by 20 to 25 percent.

4. What other projects has Park Pride worked with near the Clifton community?

Twelve years ago, Park Pride managed the master-planning process for the Olmsted Linear Parks through an unprecedented partnership between DeKalb County, the City of Atlanta, Fernbank Science Center, the Olmsted Park Society and members of the Druid Hills community. After the master plan was completed, Park Pride coordinated the creation of the Olmsted Linear Park Alliance and continued to serve as the fiscal partner until the newly formed group received its nonprofit status. In the future, we hope to work as a grassroots, parks-advocacy group with other projects in DeKalb County.

5. How did you become such a parks advocate?

Since running Congressman John Lewis’ office in Atlanta, I’ve always had a passion for environmental issues and decided to work on those issues full time through Park Pride. We will continue to advocate the need for parks and greenspace as a cornerstone of life in Atlanta, particularly as the region absorbs many new residents. Visit www.parkpride.org to learn more.