In 2011, southeast Atlanta witnessed an important transformation when a previously vacant lot became Boulevard Crossing Park. Trust for Public Land helped the city acquire about 20 acres, and we helped the neighborhood turn 5 of them into much-needed green space where people can now relax and play. (Fun fact: kudzu-eating goats helped clear the lot’s old vegetation.)

With the first 5 acres established, community organizers set their sights on using the remaining land to the fullest, tacking on an additional 5 acres to bring the total footprint to 25 acres. In 2019, the city designed a second phase of the park that included a dog park, splashpad, community garden, additional athletic space, and more.

The park is located along the Atlanta BeltLine, an in-progress, 22-mile greenway loop that follows historic rail lines around the city. Boulevard Crossing Park will help make up a 1,300-acre “emerald necklace” of green spaces along the BeltLine, a reality envisioned and championed by Trust for Public Land. Creating the park was an important piece of the puzzle as Atlanta undergoes one of the nation’s most ambitious revitalization projects of all time.