Piedmont Park To Begin Recycling; Drills Well

Piedmont Park will begin a trial recycling program this Wednesday. The Piedmont Park Conservancy will place 50 bins around the park to collect plastic bottles and aluminum cans. The Conservancy will collect data for 90 days to see if the program is working and hopes to earn revenue by selling the plastic and aluminum to recycling companies.

Piedmont Park, like all of Atlanta, is held to the water restrictions issued by the City of Atlanta due to the extreme drought. As a result, the Conservancy has drilled a well (pictured) to provide enough non-potable water to protect the trees, Active Oval/Ball Fields and the open meadow. The goal is to find enough water underground that will pump water into Lake Clara Meer, which will then be used to water the park. Most of Atlanta's big festivals -- including Atlanta Pride, Dogwood Festival and Peachtree Road Race -- were kicked out of the park because of the drought. 

In addition to the well, the Conservancy is also incorporating various sustainable and water conserving approaches including rain gardens, cisterns to capture storm water runoff, rain barrels, and planting native species.

Piedmont Park Pools, Bathhouse Get LEED Makeover

The pools and bathhouse will be closed until Memorial Day 2009 while phase one of the transformation of Piedmont Park’s 53-acre expansion is underway. The $7.8 million project includes a LEED certified (an industry standard for green building) renovation of the park’s historic bathhouse, updating approximately 30,000 square feet of outdoor plazas, patios, picnic pavilions and a new family aquatic center.

The completed project will feature an integrated design process that incorporates maximum sustainability into the building, including site layout and orientation, building practices, and materials selection. Once renovated, the pools will have the following amenities:

• Lap lanes with recreational features
• Landscaped deck environment at pool
• Concessions to serve swimming facility and the park
• Natural and structured shade at the pool deck
• Beach entry with current channel for floating
• A Poseidon Drowning detection system
• Pool level locker rooms and showers

The Conservancy developed plans for the bathhouse and pools project with input from an advisory committee consisting of representatives from more than 50 neighborhoods, organizations and constituent groups along with representatives from Atlanta City government, said Conservancy President and CEO, Yvette Bowden.