Historic Fourth Ward Park

In the 1990s, Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood was struggling with frequent flooding. Engineer and community organizer Bill Eisenhauer saw a win-win solution in vacant land in the floodplain of Clear Creek. He envisioned a system that would channel stormwater into a man-made pond—which would in turn form the centerpiece of a brand-new park, in a neighborhood that badly needed more green space.

At first, many thought the idea was too ambitious. But over time, Eisenhauer’s plan gained traction with everyone from neighborhood residents to the city’s sewer chief. Trust for Public Land helped the city buy the property it needed, and by 2010 the new Historic Fourth Ward Park was helping manage stormwater—and welcoming neighbors to play.

While the park might have been one man’s vision, Eisenhauer stresses that making Historic Fourth Ward Park a reality took teamwork. “‘Coalition’ is the word. A park this significant doesn’t get done because one person has one idea,” he says. “I came at this with a background in stormwater management. Others got involved in the interest of nearby real estate values, while groups like Trust for Public Land are trying to create more places where people can gather and experience nature in the city. Nobody’s concern or priority was more important than anyone else’s—as a united coalition, we were able to call a ton of attention to all the problems this one park could help solve.”

Today, Historic Fourth Ward Park is one of Atlanta’s iconic destinations, featuring a playground, water-themed area, outdoor theater, ample green space, and the city’s first skateboard park. Giving people a place to relax and play while taking care of an existing stormwater challenge (and saving the city millions of dollars) was a big win for all involved. The site is even capable of handling a 500-year flood (a storm event so great it has a one-in-500 chance of occurring in a given year), which is truly an impressive feat.

Historic Fourth Ward Park also was the first new park created as part of the Atlanta BeltlLine, a 22-mile corridor of parks, trails, and transit encircling downtown Atlanta.