After years of advocating for their neighborhood, residents of the County Line-Ellenwood community in DeKalb County say their efforts are starting to pay off with improvements to Ellenwood Park now underway.
At a recent groundbreaking ceremony held July 12, attended by Commissioner Larry Johnson and members of the County Line-Ellenwood community, Johnson said the first phase of work on the 46-acre park is “just the beginning.”
“We have to always look forward,” said Johnson. “My goal is to bridge the gap and bring our seniors and youth together. The playground is just the beginning, and the intergenerational center is next. I want to thank CEO (Michael) Thurmond, DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs, and the County Line-Ellenwood community for helping make this day possible.”
Johnson said that starting in 2015, he helped to mobilize the community to join public meetings so their voices could be heard.
“For the past eight years, great strides have been made in the community by providing essential amenities and resources, such as the opening of the Ellenwood Library and now Phase One of Ellenwood Park,” said Johnson.
The first phase of renovations will include a new playground, a parking lot, and an entrance to Ellenwood Park, according to officials.
The park improvements total more than $2 million and were made possible by Johnson in partnership with the DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs, and the County Line-Ellenwood community, stated a press release.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, community members spoke about how the park improvements were meaningful.
“I am the sixth generation of this community, and I am honored to help carry out the dreams and goals that our parents and other relatives shared,” said Dr. Alice White Bussey. “Our families are still ingrained in this community because our parents made sure we had homes, food, and churches to (go to) worship. We helped build this…
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