Parks director outlines citywide playground upgrades, accessibility work and plans for Egan Park
Summary
The City of East Point provided a parks and recreation update on July 7 detailing playground renovations across multiple parks, new accessible equipment, planned restrooms and ramps, and that Egan Park will be listed as a national demonstration play site with PlayCore resources for usage tracking and future grant leverage.
The East Point parks director updated the City Council on July 7 about a multi‑year effort to upgrade playgrounds and make park facilities more accessible. The presentation listed completed and planned improvements across the city and explained the agency’s approach to safety, accessibility and long‑term funding.
Director Pickett (Parks and Recreation) told council the FY25 budget provided funds to address accessibility concerns and that the department concentrated on making play spaces usable for children of all abilities. Pickett said the city installed inclusive swings, sensory boards and accessibility ramps at several parks and is preparing additional work under FY26 allocations.
Why it matters: Playgrounds and parks are community assets used daily; residents had contacted the city with concerns about aging equipment and accessibility. Pickett said some existing play equipment is 20–30 years old, which raises liability concerns and limits options for donation. “Anything typically north of 10 years old … is a liability towards the city to give that out,” Pickett said in explanation of donation constraints.
Key work completed or underway: The director listed improvements at Bridal Park (new swing and volleyball upgrades), Summer Park (sensory boards and a swing), River Park (swings and sensory equipment), Brookdale Park (access ramp, parking re‑striping and a soon‑to‑be installed restroom), John D. Milner (heavily used site receiving upgrades), Sykes Park (sensory boards and ramp), and Center Park (full accessibility renovation, pavilion and grills). Pickett said Egan Park’s playground is a long‑running, multi‑phase project funded in part with CDBG money and that construction resumed after weather delays.
Egan Park and PlayCore recognition: Pickett told council that Egan Park will be a national demonstration site featured by PlayCore, which will provide research tools to measure usage and the park’s impact. That designation, Pickett said, can help the city leverage grants for future improvements.
Other plans: The department plans to consider electric vehicle charging at high‑use park locations and to engage residents through public meetings before significant park overhauls. Pickett said the department will continue outreach with neighborhood groups and partner organizations to prioritize improvements across wards.
Ending: Council members asked for follow‑up on technical items (acreage for Commerce Park and whether a dedicated grant writer for parks has been discussed). City staff said the city’s grant function covers all departments and that a parks‑specific grant writer is not in the FY25 budget but could be considered for future budgets.
