Clifton Community Partnership

Burbanck Park Project article:
Earth Week at Emory
May 29, 2008
Source: Community Partnership Update/March 2007

This year Earth Day is on Sunday, April 22. As part of the Earth Week celebrations at Emory, the University, the Druid Hills Civic Association, the Clifton Community Partnership (CCP) and Park Pride will dedicate the Drs. Madeline and George Burbanck Park, at the corner of Clifton and Oxford roads, one block from Emory Village.

Dr. Madeline Burbanck was a researcher and a botany professor at Emory who worked to keep clean, the once highly polluted Peavine Creek, adjacent to her home. Dr. William Burbanck was professor emeritus of Emory’s Department of Biology. His tenure included his serving as chair from 1952 to 1957 and teaching assignments that included biology and field ecology. In fall 2006, Emory purchased the 1.2-acre property and is creating a park in their honor.

The park will provide a recreational area for the community and will act as a green buffer between the residences of Druid Hills and the Village. Its dedication will cap off Earth Week events held on Emory’s campus beginning with a Sustainable Food Fair on Friday, April 13. The food fair will be held on Emory’s Cox Hall Bridge and will foster greater awareness of sustainable issues in food, expand the knowledge of the pros and cons of locally grown food, food grown sustainably and industrial organic food. There will be booths, activities, music and taste samples; local farmers will sell in-season produce and meat.
Other Earth Week activities and events include:
• Bike to Emory Day where bike riders will be strongly encouraged to ride their bikes onto campus on April 16;
• A “green” vendor lunch where vendors come together to sell their products and then meet with departmental representatives making purchasing decisions;
• Participation in the City of Atlanta’s “Arms Around Atlanta” a city-wide, community-based project to help clean up and refresh selected rights-of-ways around neighborhoods and parks located in Atlanta.
• CCP-sponsored Druid Hills Home and Garden Tour, with tour transportation provided by Emory’s alternatively-fueled shuttle service – Cliff.