Celebrating the Newly Renovated Springdale Playground

On Tuesday, July 1, OLPA held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Olmsted Linear Park to celebrate the renovation of the Springdale playground and the stormwater infrastructure underneath.

After three years of planning, fundraising, and community collaboration, the vision for a vibrant, adaptive, and nature-connected play space became a reality. It was a sweltering July afternoon, but Glacier Italian Ice was on site to keep guests cool while cheerfully trying out the new play structures.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, OLPA Executive Director, Sandra Kruger, recognized the OLPA project team – Spencer Tunnell and Matt Sussman of Tunnell & Tunnell Landscape Architecture, Mattew Purcell Outdoor Solutions Group, Inc., and Kimley-Horn, for their guidance throughout the project. And offered a note of gratitude to Sydney Thompson, former OLPA Board Member, and her Pond & Co. team for their vision during the early conception phase that set the stage for this project. Recognition went out to the OLPA Board of Directors and Maintenance Crew Members as well as the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Staff for their dedication and commitment to the Olmsted Linear Park.

Rachel Maher, DPR Deputy Commissioner, Park Pride CEO and President Michael Halicki, Atlanta City Councilmember Alex Wan, and OLPA Board President Amy Howell each underscored a common theme: community partnerships are the heartbeat of Atlanta, and it truly “takes a village” to make the success of these projects possible. OLPA expressed deep gratitude for the many partners who helped navigate the project from start to finish. Other distinguished guests included Atlanta City Councilmember Lilianna Bakhtiari, DeKalb County District 2 Commissioner Michelle Long-Spears, Greg Levine and Alex Beasley of Trees Atlanta, Park Pride staff members including Andrew White, Deputy Commissioner LaShawn Dudley and many DPR staff.

“We are incredibly grateful to our partners and supporters who made this renovation possible,” said Sandra Kruger, OLPA Executive Director. “This new playground reflects our shared commitment to creating vibrant, inclusive public spaces for children and families to play, learn, and grow together.”

OLPA received generous support from the City of Atlanta Parks & Recreation Department; Park Pride Atlanta; The Waterfall Foundation; the David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund; Chick-fil-A; City Council Member Alex Wan; former City Council Member Jennifer Ide; Druid Hills Civic Association and Trees Atlanta, all of whose commitment to creating accessible, inclusive outdoor spaces has helped bring new life to this well-loved neighborhood playground.

Special appreciation to OLPA supporters, including Jon, Tina and Sophie Hart, West and Polly Hutchison, and Mary and Fred Newman, who helped OLPA kick-off the fundraising campaign for this renovation project.

Whatever your age or parental status, stop by and see what the SE corner of Springdale Park now looks like. Lots of new plantings as well as new play structures. Ms. Kruger’s now 6-year-old ‘consultant’ and Druid Hills resident, Sophie Hart, spent much of the event on the structures and Commissioner Long-Spears was seen on the teeter-totter (or seesaw to some of us). Indulge your inner child!