No doubt Brook Run is the big regional park of our city.  But lots of Dunwoody kids live no where close to Brook Run.  That's why the consultants highly suggested moving the baseball fields currently at Dunwoody Park (beside the Dunwoody Nature Center) to Brook Run. The consultants believe the Dunwoody Nature Center needs to expand and new amenities need added.

In the image above you see more of a regional park. Plenty of parking, a new road for better access, a large playground, a paved walking trail, pavilion, and more.  It has all the amenities of a regional park.  As it is now very few people from the local neighborhoods (that's who the parks are for, right?) use these adjoining properties.  The nature center is nice, but not a place many kids want to go to daily.  There is not enough variety currently.  Councilman Wittenstein nailed it 100% when he said by keeping the nature center and Dunwoody Senior Baseball both as is, both programs are restricted and will not reach full potential.  Heneghan agreed and said that the Roberts Road properties need converted to a regional park.

Parks manager Brent (no nickname for Brent yet, still trying to find that catchy moniker for him) said simply that if baseball fields stay at Dunwoody Park then the nature center can't expand.  Councilman Shortal spoke about wanting pavilions and such at Brook Run (agree) for people to gather, but failed to mention the same for Dunwoody Nature Center.  He lives close to this park and knows it is very limited in parking and resources.  Simply putting a new building on site is not enough.

The big issue with converting this area to a regional park is an organization called Dunwoody Senior Baseball. It's obvious this group has a huge influence on some members of council.  Dunwoody Senior Baseball is 'Dunwoody' in name only.  It is a regional league that has teams (or plays against) from Druid Hills, Chamblee, Galloway, Blessed Trinity, Oglethorpe, etc.

I have no issue with the baseball league, but I want all involved to understand all the factors in this parks debate.  Dunwoody Sr. Baseball serves the baseball needs of 13-18 year old boys from Dunwoody and surrounding areas in Fulton, DeKalb, and beyond.  It seems as Morgan Falls and Murphy Candler programs serve the young kids (since Dunwoody does not have a youth baseball league of its own), so DSB has found itself a niche.  Good for them.  I played baseball up until age 18 in a city league (Pony, Colt, AAABA) and looking back, glad we had plenty of fields to play on.  But when reviewing Brook Run plans and hearing council discuss Dunwoody park on Roberts, everything centers around Dunwoody Sr Baseball, an organization that serves a very small portion of our population.  I don't think we'll ever get an accurate number so I'll throw out 125 as the number of kids living in Dunwoody that participate in DSB.  Total guess on my part.  I looked at their web site, looked at the high schools where kids attend, looked at team names, and took a guess.

I don't want DSB to disappear, but I don't want to design the 100 acre Brook Run or Dunwoody Park around the league either.  I think the DSB needs to move to Brook Run and also to continue to use other fields in the areas it serves.

The north section of Dunwoody deserves a regional park just like Brook Run serves a large part of the southern/eastern section of Dunwoody.  Feel the same way?  Email council today and let them know you want a regional park on Roberts.

Email Mr. Shortal
Email Mayor Wright
Email Mr. Wittenstein
Want to email all of council at one time?  click here


Windwood Hollow Park

Unless you live over on the east side of Dunwoody you have no idea where this park is positioned.  It's 11 acres that sees very little use.  Perhaps we make it a dog park?  It has two tennis courts and a small playground.  Councilwoman Bonser said. "it's a beautiful park".  Don't look for much to be done here.  Council will suggest to resurface existing tennis courts, maybe improve on some trails. 

Perimeter Park


This area is near city hall, tucked in around some apartments at Perimeter Center East.  Look for council to do some nice work here, adding picnic tables, making a walking trail for people and dogs, and perhaps some garden beds. Maybe a trail connecting the PCID to Georgetown.

Proposed Green Way on power line
Thompson - in favor
Bonser - take off the table for now
Shortal - let's wait until after the Feb 21 meeting on this specific issue
Heneghan - no (thinks we should use the $5 million proposed here to make wide multi use sidewalks on Happy Hollow, down to Brook Run, crossing the city somehow. Of course the city will need land for this as well.  but the city already has a legal way to take land from in front of homes for a wide sidewalk.  Heneghan had one of the best one-liners tonight when he said, "we need to be building community, not tearing it apart".
Wittenstein - thinks green ways are incredibly important to city and we need to find ways to incorporate green ways into city.

Side Note:  The city recently installed new microphones, two huge flat screens (perhaps 72" wide), cameras, and more.  I forget the amount spent but it I think it was over $50,000.  Anyway, while council discusses maps (and throughout 97% of the 5 hour meeting) the screens were blank.  Why were these installed?  Big bucks went into these screens, please use them.  At the least put on a DVD of America's Funniest Videos (mute the audio as to not disrupt council).  But make sure it's one of the seasons with Tom Bergeron, not Bob Saget, can't stand Bob Saget.  So these TVs go unused.  Next time we talk parks and maps can we have a city staff person running a Mac with video outputs putting up images of something?  I'll take a TV test Pattern over blank screens. At least then I'll feel as taxpayers getting a little something.
Test Pattern Option 1Test Pattern Option 2
The new microphones caused some headaches at the meeting as well.  Search this blog for 'microphone' and you'll find Dunwoody is audio challenged to say the least.  The legacy continues.  So these new microphones require the user to depress a button and continue to hold the button while speaking.  Sounds easy, but apparently not.  Nearly everyone had some issues tonight.  A special work session retreat was announced for next Tuesday.  Council and frequent Public Comment personnel will rehearse pushing a button then talking into a microphone.  Can't wait to see how FarmerBob and Public comment Joe will adjust to the new set-up.  Perhaps I'll hold the button while FarmerBob speaks. of all the speakers, only Brent was microphone-qualified.  A+ for Brent.

A few more notes on parks discussions from the meeting:
Brook Run
Wittenstein: Three baseball fields, no tennis courts, add basketball court

Warren:  Not enough space for a buffet of services, have to make decisions that have most impact

Ross:  keep auditorium, refurbish it, keep baseball at Dunwoody Park, Frisbee golf, suggested private company build tennis complex and run it. He suggested 20 courts on 4 acres. 


Side Note:  did a lobbyist for the Frisbee Disc Golf Association sponsor a Hickory House catered meal for the recent council retreat?  I can entertain the idea of a litter box sand volleyball courts, bocce ball courts, and even a couple of tether ball poles, but please no disc golf course.  

Mayor Wright: Frisbee golf, possibly a tennis complex. he was concerned a tennis center would affect local swim and tennis associations - it won't.  People join so their kids can go to the pool mostly.  There is a huge demand for indoor and outdoor courts in Dunwoody.  Programs/Academies now in east Cobb, Norcross, and other areas serve the needs of tennis players, but Dunwoody could use a tennis complex.

Bonser:  keep ball fields at Dunwoody Park (a vote for keeping the ball fields there is a vote against the nature center and a vote against a regional park for north Dunwoody families), badminton, beach volleyball, meditation garden

Thompson: Frisbee golf, sand volleyball, basketball courts

Heneghan: walkway around perimeter of park, connecting to sidewalks on local street, move Veteran memorial, build a large pavilion, make park usable year-round for all ages.  He also mentioned the skate park.  He said the park needs to be sustainable and the park should not operate in the red due to one thing (skate park)


Donaldson Chesnut House
Thompson - no comment
Bonser - likes the plan
Shortal - have a caretaker live in the guest house, add playground
Wright - OK with plan
Ross - fill in the swimming pool, add a historic component to plan
Heneghan - "I don't see this working at all"">