Mayor Reed to Dedicate Atlanta BeltLine Southwest Connector Trail on Saturday

The Atlanta Beltline announced the opening of the upcoming Southwest Atlanta Connector Trail in a recent press release.  The dedication will take place on Saturday, August 10 at 10 a.m. next to Beecher Hills Elementary School.  The following is the entire press release.

Mayor Kasim Reed, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the PATH Foundation, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. and the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership will officially dedicate the Atlanta BeltLine Southwest Connector Trail on Saturday, August 10 at 10 a.m. next to Beecher Hills Elementary School. 

This new one-mile spur trail will be part of the 33-mile network of Atlanta BeltLine trails, and will eventually connect to the 22-mile Atlanta BeltLine in the Westview neighborhood in southwest Atlanta. The spur trail winds through a serene stretch of woods, originating at the existing Lionel Hampton Trail and emerging onto Westwood Avenue. With connections between the Beecher Hills and Westwood Terrace neighborhoods, the trail will allow for improved access to Beecher Hills Elementary School.

“The Southwest Connector Trail is another exciting step towards making Atlanta a more green and sustainable city,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “We must continue to ensure that residents throughout the city have safe options for exercising, walking or biking to school, and enjoying the outdoors. With seamless partnerships, we will continue to build impactful projects like this one.”

The Atlanta BeltLine Southwest Connector Trail is funded by City of Atlanta Park Improvement Bonds along with $200,000 from the PATH Foundation. The Department of Watershed Management and the Atlanta Independent School System provided critical easements for the trail. The PATH Foundation led the design and construction for the project.

This new trail will be patrolled by the Atlanta Police Department’s Path Force Unit. This specially-formed team of police officers started patrolling all Atlanta BeltLine parks and trails in July of this year.

The Southwest Connector Trail, along with the Eastside Trail, the West End Trail and the Northside Trail, will bring the total of permanent trails to nearly seven miles along and near the Atlanta BeltLine corridor.

The Southwest Connector Trail dedication ceremony will be held next to Beecher Hills Elementary School located at 2257 Bollingbrook Drive, 30311. Family-friendly activities in a festival-like atmosphere will also take place in the school’s parking lot.

Parking is available along the street and in the school’s parking lot. More information about transportation and parking at the event is available online at the Atlanta BeltLine website.