Officials break ground on the Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry

Atlanta — Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms joined other city officials to break ground on what will become the largest park in the City of Atlanta, the future Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry. A $26.5 million project, the initial phase of the future Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry will include a park gateway entrance at the intersection of Johnson Road and Grove Park Place on the north side of the park. The design will provide lighting, signage, well-designed graphics and will promote pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

The restoration of Grove Park Place will include the removal of invasive species, resurfacing of the roadway, and the rehabilitation of vegetation along the corridor. Additionally, the grand overlook area will maximize breathtaking panoramic views of the reservoir and the Atlanta skyline. Visitors will also be able to experience the quarry by ADA accessible trails leading to the grand overlook.

Since September 2016, the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management has been working to transform the Bellwood quarry into a more than 2 billion-gallon emergency drinking water reservoir that will increase the city’s emergency water supply from three to 30 days.

“The Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry will change the surrounding landscape far beyond just being the largest greenspace in the city,” said Mayor Bottoms. “The park will become ground zero for some of the biggest economic investments ever seen on the Westside of Atlanta. It will help neighborhoods here thrive and return to their former glory, as well as be the home of an important back-up water source for the entire city.”