Update: Caney Creek Preserve opening today, June 22nd at 1pm.
Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department
New Parks Open
New parks total approximately 282 acres
Forsyth County residents will soon have four new green space passive use parks to explore and enjoy. The county plans to officially open the new Caney Creek Preserve, Haw Creek Park, Chattahoochee Pointe and Old Atlanta Park with ribbon cutting ceremonies scheduled for the coming weeks.
The new parks feature trails for walking and mountain biking, a dog park, canoe launch, playgrounds and more and together total approximately 282 acres.
“Our parks and recreation system is one of Forsyth County’s greatest assets and these four new parks will no doubt be a great addition to it,” Commission Chairman Jim Boff said. “We are thrilled to be opening these new parks for residents to enjoy.”
Caney Creek Preserve
(2755 Caney Road)
Scheduled to open Friday, June 22 at 1 p.m.
The approximately 63-acre Caney Creek Preserve features 1.2 miles of walking trails, a dog park, two pavilions, natural amphitheater and a one-of-a-kind playground with an archeological dig site and water play area. The park is located off of Caney Road, west of the intersection of Caney Road and Brookwood Road.
Like Caney Creek Preserve on Facebook
Haw Creek Park
(2205 Echols Road)
Scheduled to open Thursday, June 28 at 10 a.m.
Haw Creek Park, located off of Echols Road and spanning approximately 85 acres, includes an approximately 3.3-mile multi-use trail for both foot travel and mountain bikes. Pavilions and a multi-pod playground with a woodlands theme are also among the park’s features.
Chattahoochee Pointe
(5790 Chattahoochee Pointe Drive)
Scheduled to open Thursday, June 28 at 2 p.m.
This approximately 100-acre park borders the Chattahoochee River and features a canoe launch. Two pavilions, more than two miles of walking trails and a river-themed nature-inspired playground are also included at Chattahoochee Pointe. The entrance to the park is off of Old Atlanta Road, approximately 0.4 miles south of the entrance to Olde Atlanta Club.
Old Atlanta Park
(810 Nichols Road)
Scheduled to open Friday, June 29 at 2 p.m.
Old Atlanta Park is located at the intersection of Nichols Road and Old Atlanta Road across from Lambert High School. The park consists of a total of approximately 39 acres, 34 of which are passive use space. The passive portion of the park features a natural playground, a tot-lot for children age six and under, two pavilions, a 1-mile walking trail and a spray pad. Once opened, the spray pad is slated to remain open for the season through September 3. Hours of operation will be Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. On Mondays, the spray pad will be closed for maintenance and private rentals. Daily admission for the spray pad is $2 per person (one year old and up); annual individual passes ($30) and annual family passes ($50) will also be available.
The park’s remaining five acres house the new 40,000-square foot Old Atlanta Park Recreation Center, which opened in February.
About the New Parks
Acquisition of the land for these four new parks was funded by the Parks, Recreation and Green Space Bond approved by Forsyth County voters in February 2008. Construction of the parks was funded by a combination of the Parks, Recreation and Green Space Bond, Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and Impact Fees.
“Forsyth County residents have consistently invested in safeguarding our community’s reputation as one of the best places to live, work, play and visit in the nation,” District 2 Commissioner Brian R. Tam said. “While other communities have faced devastating challenges, Forsyth County has continued to thrive as a result of our citizens and their desire to guarantee access to green space, parks and recreational facilities. Together, we have protected property values, increased amenities and kept property taxes among the lowest in metro Atlanta.”
Public input played a key role in determining the plans for these parks. A public information meeting was held to discuss master planning and to gain community input.
“We received a lot of feedback from the public to do something different with these spaces,” Director of Parks and Recreation Jerry Kinsey said. “That feedback was then incorporated into the park plans. Each of these new parks has its own look and feel.”
When planning for the playgrounds at these new parks, Parks and Recreation Department staff looked to provide long-lasting, creative, imaginative, natural and inter-generational play spaces. These natural play areas were developed using materials that will be long-lasting and will help reduce maintenance costs. The playgrounds include such features as a large sand pit serving as an archeological dig site, life-size animals and plants, and boulder and rope climbing.
“The playgrounds at these new parks are especially noteworthy,” Outdoor Program Manager Matthew Pate said. “There is nothing like them in the state or the southeast.”
For information on these new green space passive use parks or the many programs and activities offered by the Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department, call 770.781.2215 or visit www.forsythco.com.
