April 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 15

from incoming pipes, stormwater
planters
line
the
the
edge to capture
neighborhood
streetscape
runoff from
and
streets,
constructed wetlands and native
plantings surround the wet pond to
enhance water quality.
Collaborating With
the Community
At the time of its completion in
2021, Cook Park was the largest
investment in a public park in Atlanta's
Westside
neighborhood
in more than 50 years. It was important
that residents of Vine City
and English Avenue were engaged
during the early planning stages to
provide critical feedback. Using a
design charrette process, community
members' ideas and input on
the development plans were gathered,
and regular updates on progress
were communicated. Much of
the design charrette process was an
educational effort while helping
community members visualize the
layout and best practices of design.
The completed park further supports
the community with new
recreational programs and opportunities
for local youth, such as neighborhood
health and fitness programs,
a fitness zone, a bouldering
(free climbing) area, sport courts,
plenty of open green space and a
splash pad. Wide sidewalks were
built to accommodate farmers markets
and festivals, and a sloped bank
of lawn seating forms a natural amphitheater
with views of the city.
Going Green
Access to green space improves
health through improved air quality
and the reduction of urban heat
islands. The monumental green
space features include fresh, native
plantings
designed
to
withstand
the Atlanta heat and submersion
during storms. A rippling water
feature and impressive works of
stone and steel transport park visitors
from the bustling city center to
a peaceful oasis.
Green infrastructure features include
bioretention ponds to collect
flow from incoming pipes, stormwater
planters to capture runoff from
the adjacent streets, a great lawn
designed to manage flood waters,
and a wet pond surrounded by constructed
wetlands to improve water
quality. An underground cistern also
provides water for the wet pond.
Storing Stormwater and
Improving Water Quality
Designed in coordination with engineering
consultant
Freese
foot great lawn to the west. To
parkgoers, the great lawn serves as
a large multipurpose open space
for activities, including impromptu
sports
and
performance
events
with natural amphitheater seating.
Designed to hold up to two feet of
rainwater and underlain by three
feet of engineered soils and a large,
complex drain system, the lawn
contributes
to
storage
capacity
during major rain events while
filtering stormwater runoff. These
functions allow the park and water
treatment system to accommodate
historic water levels without flooding
the surrounding neighborhood.
Enriching a Vibrant
Community
and
Nichols and the City of Atlanta
Department of Watershed Management,
the heart of the new park is a
two-acre pond that captures up to 10
million gallons of stormwater, eliminates
combined sewer overflows up
to the 100-year storm event, reduces
strain on the city's sewer system, and
provides relief to the 150-acre watershed.
Even when the park floods,
it remains an asset to the community.
Several areas - including the
main walkways, 600-foot pedestrian
bridge, fitness areas and playground
- are designed to remain dry, even
during the largest storms.
During rain events, the engineering
aspects come to life. The gates
- hidden behind a wall - open
and allow the rainwater to flow in.
The incoming runoff is channeled
through a recirculating fountain,
which helps to remove sediment
and provides aeration for the pond.
Balancing
the
east
side's twoacre
pond is a 60,000-squareOnce
characterized by abandoned
homes and vacant lots with outdated
infrastructure and severe flooding,
Cook Park showcases the benefits
of
tackling
age-old
infrastructure
challenges with community
involvement and innovative green
solutions. Now Atlanta's fourth
largest park, Cook Park represents a
collaborative effort between The
Trust for Public Land, the City of
Atlanta Department of Watershed
Management, the City of Atlanta
Department of Parks and Recreation,
and, most importantly, the residents of
Vine City and the greater community.
A grand symbol of the neighborhood's
legacy, Cook Park expands
on the foundation the City of Atlanta
built with Historic Fourth
Ward Park, showcasing the best
of urban planning while building
a monument to history that will be
enjoyed by the community for decades
to come.
Robby Bryant is Principal Landscape
Architect at HDR.
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | APRIL 2 0 22 | Parks & Recreation
15
April 2022 - Parks & Recreation

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