The City of Atlanta is inviting residents to help shape the future of a historically significant landscape through the Restoration Memorial & Preserve, a new planning and design effort focused on the former Atlanta Prison Farm site.
The first public community meeting will take place Saturday, February 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Coan Park Recreation Center (1530 Woodbine Ave SE). The open house–style event gives community members the opportunity to learn about the project, review early findings, and share input that will help guide what the land becomes.
“This work is not ceremonial,” said Mayor Andre Dickens. “This is the group project in action — and the work you will do is consequential.”
A Shared Responsibility for the Land
The Restoration Memorial & Preserve planning process focuses on more than future design. It is rooted in listening, stewardship, and acknowledging the site’s layered history — from Indigenous land stewardship and agricultural labor to incarceration and civic change.
“The land itself holds environmental, historical, and community significance,” Mayor Dickens said. “I’m counting on the community to help us figure out how we can honor all three.”
The site, located adjacent to Intrenchment Creek near Key Road SE, includes more than 100 acres with waterfront access and sits within the broader South River watershed. The City’s long-term vision is to create a public green space that supports ecological restoration while offering opportunities for reflection, education, recreation, and healing.
What to Expect on February 7
The February 7 meeting is the first of four public meetings planned for 2026 and will focus on sharing results from historical, archaeological, and ecological research conducted in fall 2025.
At the open house, participants can:
- Review maps, timelines, and background materials
- Learn about early research and fieldwork findings
- Ask questions directly of the project team
- Share feedback and priorities for future planning
“You are not just planning how we will use the land,” Mayor Dickens said. “You are planning for all those coming after us, too.”
The meeting is designed to allow residents to drop in at any time during the four-hour window and engage at their own pace.
A Community-Guided Process
Led by the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation in partnership with HGOR and a multidisciplinary team of historians, archaeologists, ecologists, and designers, the Restoration Memorial & Preserve process will continue through the first half of 2026.
Each meeting builds on the last, with community ideas reflected in visible updates along the way. Future meetings will focus on memorialization, potential uses of the future green space, and conceptual design.
“The process won’t necessarily be easy or simple,” Mayor Dickens said. “But we are committed to getting this right.”
Join the Conversation
Residents are encouraged to attend any or all community meetings and to participate in the public survey open through April 20, 2026.
Community Meeting #1
📅 Saturday, February 7, 2026
🕙 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
📍 Coan Park Recreation Center
1530 Woodbine Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30317
