By Grace Donnelly, contributor

Atlanta, GA — Residents of East Lake supported a measure for the installation of speed humps on Tilson Drive and proposals for a jazz concert and an enhancement project in local parks at the monthly East Lake Neighbors Community Association (ELNCA) meeting on March 11.

Neighbors who live on Tilson Drive gathered signatures for a petition to put speed humps along the road, which is often used as a cut-through when Memorial Drive is congested.

Multiple residents shared that traffic-calming measures are needed, as children play along the street and pedestrians walk dogs and jog. Dues-paying members of ELNCA in attendance voted to support the proposal, which now goes through the city of Atlanta’s process for transportation projects.

ELNCA members also voted to support a request to host a jazz performance on May 19 in East Lake Park, one of a series of mini-concerts ahead of the Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park May 25-27. The event now goes to the NPU-O, which will vote on a special event permit.

Brownie Troop 21000 presented a proposal to use $2,500 of their Girl Scout cookie sales funds to enhance Arbor Park, adding a pedestrian walkway from Arbor Avenue, a trefoil fire pit and seating area, and a garden. ELNCA members voted to approve, and the plan will now go to the monthly Atlanta Design meeting for review.

In other business:

– East Lake Park is set to receive a series of updates, including repairs for the roof and water issues at the Zaban center, seating at the softball field, sidewalk improvements, and the addition of a permanent walking trail around the playing field—made possible by Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari’s office. ELNCA also received a grant from Park Pride to transition the dilapidated arbor by the parking lot on Green Avenue into an open-air picnic pavilion during the second half of this year.

“East Lake Park a year from now is going to have a nice, new, refreshed feel to it,” ELNCA president Rick Baldwin said.

– The city has submitted a work order for restriping along Glenwood Avenue from west of Eva Davis Way down to the golf course and is waiting for bids.

“We’re going to get that done as soon as possible,” Patrick Husbands from Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari’s office said. “We understand that Glenwood is a particular danger.”

Bakhtiari has also identified $1.5 million in unallocated funds from TSPLOST for transportation projects in District 5 neighborhoods. The shortlist for East Lake includes striping and crosswalk updates to the intersection at Second Avenue and Hosea Williams and re-engineering the Fifth Avenue and Hosea intersection near the church and the preschool. Baldwin shared these priorities with Bakhtiari, members of the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Atlanta Department of Transportation, and representatives from other neighborhoods at a meeting last week.

– ELNCA has designated $10,000 for the group’s giving committee to distribute to organizations supporting the local community this year.

ELNCA donated to four organizations last year around the giving pillars of animal welfare, domestic violence, senior housing, and education. The committee is just beginning to decide the priorities for 2024, and interested neighbors can join the meeting on March 24 at 4:30 p.m. or email [email protected] to get more involved or share giving suggestions.

– Neighbors also heard from Chad Parker, who is working on renovating the East Lake Golf Course. He said the project is scheduled to be completed by May 31.

– The East Lake Patrol reminded residents that they can notify the group when they are on vacation and arrange for members to stop by to check on their houses.

– ELNCA has received approval from the city council and Georgia Power to hang “Welcome to East Lake” banners from the lamp posts at the Second Avenue and Hosea Williams intersection.

– Here are a few upcoming events:

Saturday, March 16: East View Cemetery Beautification Day from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Saturday, March 23: East Lake Egg Hunt in East View Cemetery at 10 a.m.

Saturday, March 23: Race for FATE

Later this year, Wind Down Wednesdays with live music in East Lake Park will be on June 5 and June 19, and the East Lake Tour of Homes will be on June 22.

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