Now open: Fourth Ward Park, Phase I
Have you been to Historic Fourth Ward Park yet?
When I moved away a few years ago Dallas Street consisted of an industrial building at one end, David Daniels Design at the other and a few houses that looked like they might not survive a storm in between. Beyond that was perhaps the most kudzu amassed in one place on earth.
Now it’s chockablock with new apartments and this:
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- Dallas street leads right into the west side of the park
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- Standing across North Avenue from the park’s north end, City Hall East is visible from the park’s upper level
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- Angular, gray stones border the smooth river rocks inlaid to the pavement at one of the park’s southern entrances.
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- A water feature at the south end of the park’s pond reflects the afternoon sun.
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- The park features two fountains. This one is at the north end.
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- Afternoon walkers pass the fountain on the park’s east side.
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- The upper level walking paths provide view of the entire park
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- New, modern apartments and old, majestic trees dominate the view from the park’s southeast corner
How to get there:
Transit: I took the Route 2 MARTA bus going east from North Avenue Station. Get off at Ponce and Glen Iris – right in front of Cactus Car Wash – then walk two blocks to Dallas Street and Glen Iris and turn left. Dallas Street leads right to the west entrance to the park.
Walking: The foot bridge over Freedom Parkway from the Freedom Park PATH Trail leads to the park.
Driving: These directions are untested, just cobbled together from looking at the map and what I observed from inside the park. Travelling east on North Avenue, turn right on North Angier Avenue, which is just past the Masquerade. Follow that street south and turn right on Morgan Street. There’s also some on-street parking on Dallas Street. (Someone correct me if I have that all wrong.)
How long will it be before skate boarders are terrorizing park
patrons and grinding away the stone edges?
I’ve known an avid skateboarder or two, so I never think of them as
terrorizing anyone, but it’s easy to imagine someone wanting to
have a go at some of those bench edges. A couple of those handrails
might be tempting to someone who really knows what they’re doing,
but they’re a trip to Grady waiting to happen for someone who
doesn’t. There’s at least one large “park rules” sign there, but I
didn’t look to see whether it said “No skateboarding.” I guess all
the city could do is install some of those nubby bolts that you see
on benches and handrails elsewhere.