In 1985, the condemned properties that had been assembled to make way for the proposed I-485, was dedicated as a City of Atlanta Park named for Sidney J. Marcus. He opposed the freeway, first as Chairman of the MLPA and then as Georgia Representative from 1968 until his death in 1983. The park stands as a tribute to the MLPA and the neighborhood PAC lead by Mary Davis, Virginia Taylor, Barbara Ray, Adele Northrup, and Virginia Gaddis who joined forces to stop the freeway. An archived copy of the 2003 MLPA News details how neighbors managed to stop a highway from destroying our community.
The park has seen a couple of building and restoration efforts, beginning with its founding in 1981-82 and again in 2003. Now the MLPA Parks Committee and a group of residents have banded together to form Friends of Sidney Marcus Park (FoSMP). They have held a few volunteer work days, fundraising events, have gathered input at the MLPA Concerts in the Park, and have written grants.
Thus far, a landscape architect has drawn plans and a grant award was combined with funds raised to renovate the picnic area. Recently FoSMP has launched a capital campaign to jump start the next phase of renovations. Read more….
You can donate below or join the efforts to renovate this neighborhood treasure by contacting friendsofsmp@gmail.com.
Sidney Marcus Capital Campaign Underway
Volunteers from the neighborhood created a sustaining conservancy called Friends of Sidney Marcus (FoSMP), launched in May 2017. FoSMP has a dual focus, addressing the park’s serious drainage and erosion issues, and improving the park with new features. It has worked closely with the Department of Parks and Recreation, Park Pride, Councilwoman Ide and SITE Solutions to develop a new vision for the park – one that is stable and sustainable. This Vision Plan is posted on their Facebook page – @SidneyMarcusPark. It also follows below.
FoSMP has launched a campaign to turn the Sidney Marcus Park Vision Plan into reality in 2020.Great progress as already been made with an $18,000 grant from MLPA and a $7,000 Community Building Grant from Park Pride, and over $40,000 raised through individual donors. But the cost of the Vision Plan is quite high and the remedies are significant. The park need financial support from the community. While FoSMP has several fundraising activities planned this year, the cornerstone of the park’s campaign is a new commemorative brick sale, enhancing the existing tribute area. Details, along with other tribute opportunities, are described in the FoSMP Donation Form. Please download it here.
