Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and other officials broke ground on Phase One of Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry. Slated to open in 2019, Phase One of Atlanta's largest park will include a signature gateway enticing guests to explore the new passive park. This phase will also include trails leading to the grand overlook area for views of the quarry-turned-reservoir. Upon completion, the park will encompass a total of 280 acres, nearly one hundred acres larger than Piedmont Park and will become the connective tissue linking the Proctor Creek Greenway and Chattahoochee River Corridor with the Atlanta Beltline. At the center of the design for this monumental project is internationally recognized landscape architecture and planning firm, HGOR. For Phase One, the City of Atlanta tasked the design team, led by HGOR Principal, Lauren Standish, with developing the comprehensive vision and design.
“If you look at the topography of the park, just the environmental factors, it’s a fascinating place. The juxtaposition of the quarry lake with the open lawn, preservation of trees and integration of environmental-based design is really exciting. We hope this park will tell a story of community and place and become a destination that will help shape and define the city of Atlanta for generations to come.”
The HGOR design team looked at this project as an opportunity to design and implement an ambitious greenspace that is cohesive with and accentuates the quarry-turned-reservoir as well as the community surrounding it. The park's goal is to create a sense of culture and connectivity using a master planning component to foster community engagement. Components geared towards sustainability could include educational facilities and venues for events, weddings and festivals. These efforts will be integrated by capitalizing on the park's three natural high points for venue spots that overlook dramatic views of the city.
As both a design and engineering feat, the quarry-turned-reservoir will take on the role of Atlanta's major emergency water source, increasing the city's drinking water supply from three days to thirty-plus days. Supporting the importance of water, the surrounding park will feature significant elements of green infrastructure, enhancing water quality and ground water infiltration. HGOR is collaborating on the development of these elements with Long Engineering.
HGOR is proud to partner with project leaders, Reeves Young and CERM, and team members including John Portman & Associates, Long Engineering, EcoWorks, Full Circle Communication, Denyse, BioHabitats, Sherwood Design Engineers, S.L. King & Associates and Sykes Consulting.