http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm Getting out of last place Wed, 18 Nov 2009 9:58:03 GMT http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm Among the 25 largest cities, Atlanta has the smallest percent of land dedicated to parks.  Even if the BeltLine reaches its goal of creating more than 1,000 acres of new parkland, Atlanta would only move to 23rd.  To put the problem in perspective, ab Wed, 18 Nov 2009 9:58:03 GMT http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm#212 http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm I didn't know that Atlanta was so far behind some of the other major cities with regards to greenspace.   Are there things that other cities have done that can be replicated here?  Is there open space that can be developed into parks?  From visiting Wed, 18 Nov 2009 9:58:03 GMT http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm#216 http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm I first learned this statistic from the Trust for Public Land and then later learned more from the Beltline.  The interesting thing is that I always thought of Atlanta as such a green place.  So many trees you can't even see the houses when you fly in Wed, 18 Nov 2009 9:58:03 GMT http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm#217 http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm You have to put those stats into perspective, though. Firstly, just because we have a low percentage of parks, that does not mean that we have a low percentage of greenspace. Elaborating on Jeannie's comment, Atlanta is overflowing with trees and other Wed, 18 Nov 2009 9:58:03 GMT http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm#224 http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm Before I came to Park Pride, I had the opportunity to hear Charles Brewer speak at Park Pride's annual conference.  Charles relayed the tale of visiting an old friend (from college, I believe), with whom he used to play a lot of volleyball.  They had Wed, 18 Nov 2009 9:58:03 GMT http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm#228 http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm George - are you familiar with ARCs work in growing Green Space?  I noticed this when I was looking for something else on the ARC's web site:   http://www.atlantaregional.com/html/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 9:58:03 GMT http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm#230 http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm Although I agree that private greenspaces do not perform the same social functions as private greenspaces, let us not forget that they do perform important social functions, just on a smaller scale (families instead of groups of families) and on intrape Wed, 18 Nov 2009 9:58:03 GMT http://www.lensonatlanta.org/orca/topic/-p--2009-11-06.htm#232