Rodney Cook Sr. Park

It’s a warm day. The air is thick with humidity but also with the sounds of birds chirping from the branches of budding trees that cast cooling shade across a paved footpath where joggers log their morning miles. Children’s joyful squeals add to the symphony as they play on modern, almost futuristic playground equipment. A peacefully still pond—surrounded by wetland grasses—shimmers and centers the activity happening all around. The aboveground amenities at Atlanta’s Cook Park have brought new vibrancy to this section of the city, and the story beneath the surface is equally transformative.

Flash back to September 21, 2002: Tropical Storm Hanna has been lashing the Southeast with heavy rainfall for days when a sudden cloudburst overwhelms the sewer system in Vine City, a residential neighborhood just west of downtown Atlanta. Thankfully, no lives were lost, but the flood—a toxic mixture of stormwater and untreated sewage—damaged hundreds of homes, many beyond repair.

In the aftermath, city leaders decided the cost of rebuilding the flooded homes was too great—and the likelihood of future flooding too high. So the city helped residents relocate, then razed 60 properties from that 16-acre flood-prone section of town.

The flood, coupled with decades of disinvestment and inequality, meant local residents were ready for change. As they picked up the pieces after the flood, they imagined a better future for the neighborhood—one centered around a brand-new park. Trust For Public Land got to work, partnering with the City of Atlanta and Vine City residents to transform the space, aboveground and below.

The park is designed to reduce flooding for the 160 acres of surrounding neighborhoods and reduce water pollution risks to the source of Atlanta’s drinking water downstream. Designed and engineered by Trust for Public Land and Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management, the park’s innovative green infrastructure includes plants that manage and improve the quality of stormwater collected. During storms, a retention pond expands to store up to 10 million gallons of water that can be released gradually and treated properly to remove contaminants before flowing downstream.

Outside of the stormwater logistics, the park plans were filled to the brim with fun recreational opportunities for the community, as well. This includes a playground, splashpad, climbing boulders, outdoor fitness equipment, multiuse sports courts, public performance spaces, and a variety of green spaces for visitors to simply kick back and relax.

Pushing through challenges presented by the pandemic, the park officially opened in July of 2021—giving this once-troubled neighborhood a new reason to celebrate.

Read More: In the wake of a neighborhood tragedy, can a new park help a community rebuild?