Historic Fourth Ward Park

Panorama of stormwater retention pond, Oct. 2012

North end of pond facing Ponce City Market, mid-2012

Skate park

Historic Fourth Ward Park is a park built on the site of the old Ponce de Leon amusement park, in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta, just south of Ponce City Market and just west of the BeltLine trail.

Currently the park covers 17 acres (6.9 ha) in two separate sections. It is planned to eventually connect these two parcels and cover a total of 30 acres (12 ha).

Sections

• Phase I, 5 acres (2.0 ha)^[1] from Morgan St. down to Rankin St., centered around waterfalls and the stormwater retention pond, opened in February 2011 ahead of the official grand opening in June 2011
• Phase II brought the total size of the park to 12 acres (4.9 ha),^[1] consisting of additions to the north and to the south:
  • the section between Rankin St. south to Ralph McGill Blvd. opened in June 2011 with a playground and "splash pad" for children, urban forest and recirculating stream, restrooms, a grand stair, wildflower meadow, entry lawn and entry plaza from Ralph McGill Blvd.
  • the section from North Ave. down to Morgan St., across from Ponce City Market and alongside Masquerade (Atlanta) includes a grand entry, event lawn and "artifact bosque". Part of this extension opened to the public in January 2012 (photos).^[2]
• a separate 5-acre (2.0 ha) section (acreage in addition to the Phase II total above),^[1] separated from the main park, immediately adjacent to the BeltLine and Freedom Parkway also opened in June 2011 and includes a sports field, skate park (see below), playground and restrooms. It is accessible by car from Wiiloughby Way and on foot from the BeltLine.

Future expansion

In January 2013 the BeltLine announced that it had acquired a 0.76-acre (3,100 m²) parcel (bordering The Masquerade property on the south) which would connect the BeltLine with the park.^[3]

A Phase III is planned which would connect Phase II with the separate skatepark parcel, adding 13 acres (5.3 ha). The property is ^[4]

Skate park

The skate park is located at 830 Willoughby Way, Atlanta, Georgia 30312. It is a 15,000 square feet (1,400 m²) facility which offers bowls, curbs, and smooth-rolling concrete mounds. The designated skating facility is Atlanta's first public skate park. The park opened June of 2011 with legendary skater Tony Hawk in attendance. Hawk's philanthropic foundation awarded the project $25,000. Hawk stated that the clear vision of BeltLine officials, as well as of Little Five Points' Stratosphere skateboards owner Thomas Taylor, who encouraged city officials to build the park, heavily influenced his foundation's decision to award the money.^[5]

References

• BeltLine.org
• Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy
• Fourth Ward Alliance

Coordinates: 33°46′07″N 84°21′56″W / 33.768561°N 84.365655°W / 33.768561; -84.365655