This is a recent letter from the Buckhead Baseball President- WE SAY NO TO ANY PARKING IN THE LOWER NATURE PRESERVE GREENSPACE. 

THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY PLEASE ENGAGE.

Dear Buckhead Baseball Community,

As you may know, we have been engaged with the City of Atlanta for about a year regarding plans to renovate Historic Bagley Park to enhance the facilities, accessibility, parking, use and safety for the Buckhead Baseball community and the broader Atlanta community.  The communications with the City of Atlanta and City officials are occurring on almost a daily basis, and we are very proud to partner with the City on this exciting project. Why not be focused on what the community and park user want?  We have over 2500 signatures that want NO PARKING IN THE LOWER NATURE PRESERVE. 

Buckhead Baseball is a special place, and has been an important part of the fabric of the Atlanta community since 1952.  Our plans ensure that the league remains as such for another 72 years, and that the league continues to operate at Historic Bagley Park.  

In connection with our plans, we ask that you please attend a meeting, structured as an “open house,” on Tuesday, October 1 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Atlanta International School Auditorium (2890 N Fulton Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305).  The “open house” is being sponsored by the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation and will include not only the Buckhead Baseball community, but the broader Atlanta community and City officials and Friends of Bagley Park  Please drop by for a few minutes to show your support for the league and park, as the main topic for discussion involves parking and traffic alternatives.

While we have detailed plans and will follow up with more formal materials in connection with an upcoming capital campaign, attached is a one-page summary of what we envision with respect to the renovations of Historic Bagley Park.  What Buckhead Baseball envisions not what the Community needs in terms of greenspace they have encompassed a 25 acre park and now want to utilize the remainder 6 acres of greenspace.

As you review the attached, in an effort to have a consistent message in the community and to combat the spread of any misinformation, below are important talking points:

1.            Safety:  Our plan includes new lighting for the entirety of Bagley Park, including the parking areas, walkways and baseball fields.  

 2.            Access:  Our plan includes new access points for patrons of Bagley Park, including new ADA compliant access points (important for our Buddy Baseball Program) and walkways.

3.            Infrastructure:  Our plan includes additional greenspace you cannot add greenspace that does not exist and community amenities, a comprehensive stormwater management program and approximately 1.5 miles of connected walkways and walking trails in the southern portion of the park.

4.            Parking:  Our plan includes 90 +/- new parking spots at Bagley Park (down Bagley Street in the southern portion of the park) to provide relief when parking is limited on weekends in the Spring, and Sundays in the Fall, which will allow more families to park in Historic Bagley Park instead of parking on public streets.  NO!  We are asking that the gate to the greenspace be closed to pedestrians only.

5.            Baseball Fields:  The baseball fields will not be moved or enlarged, so all fence lines will remain the same and no new fields will be added.

6.            Funding:  Our plan will be funded with private donations from the Buckhead Baseball community which extends multiple generations of Atlantans over the 72-year history of Buckhead Baseball.  What about the 80-year history of this historic park and the only greenspace to 3 neighborhoods over 40,000 people live within a ten minute walk of this park. BUCKHEAD BASEBALL  has taken over almost this entire park and it is impossible for pedestrians and the tennis community to utilize this space 9 months of the year.  

Thank you for your support!  Buckhead Baseball has touched the lives of so many Atlantans over the years, including our approximate 1,300 current families.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have regarding our plans for Historic Bagley Park or the upcoming “open house.”  While our plans have not yet been approved by the City of Atlanta, we hope that some form of the plans will be approved soon.

This is an exciting time to be a part of Buckhead Baseball!

Sincerely,

Matt Harris

President, Buckhead Baseball, Inc.