Granddaughter of William Bagley asks that we honor the history and let the nature preserve be a place of remembrance.

I am reaching out to you regarding and on behalf of Bagley Park on Pharr Rd. I am the granddaughter of William Bagley, who actually helped to build and settle Macedonia Park which came to be known and officially named Bagley Park.  I would like to thank the Parks Department for hosting the informational and feedback gathering event last week at AIS. It is very encouraging to know that you want to find out what the community wants and offer to them the options and wishes of the stakeholders. As you can imagine, it is very important to me and dear to my heart what happens with this park.

Two years ago, Bagley Park was one of the African American settlements in Buckhead identified by Mayor Dickens for the Elevate Program through the Cultural Affairs department and Camille Russell Love. A lot has happened since then for Bagley Park and Mt. Olive Cemetery including the consecration of the cemetery; the park renamed Historic Bagley Park and a new park sign erected; the beautification and structural enhancements of the cemetery completed; the installation of the cemetery’s historical plaque; and there are plans for a Nature Preserve down in the southern-most area of the park. 

It's the preservation of greenspace in Bagley Park and the treasured history of the African American families who once called this land their home, that would be further threatened by continued and increased  parking in the area designated for the Nature Preserve at Bagley Park.  As you well know, their are various entities that use this park and that’s fine but we want other areas to be considered for parking such as the previously approved plan from 2007, which eliminates all parking from the Nature Preserve area and moves it to a new parking deck under the existing tennis courts near the front of the park. Building the deck toward the front of the park makes the most sense for all parties by concentrating parking in a central location near the ball fields while allowing the public to have the greenspace at the south end without having to deal with cars.  This very special area speaks to you saying, “save me, protect me”, as it is one of the few remaining greenspaces in Buckhead. It is such a peaceful, serene area and cannot be threatened because Buckhead Baseball has outgrown itself.  These efforts of preservation are led by Friends of Bagley Park, and the Garden Hills Community, and also supported by several members of Buckhead Heritage of which I am a member of its board. All of this support indicates the importance of preserving all of Bagley Park.  

I write to you on behalf of the ancestors and former residents of Bagley Park and thank you for the consideration of what they surely would want for this beautiful park. Please let me know if I can contribution any additional information.

Thank you, 

Elon Butts Osby