Sandy Springs reopened Allen Road Park Playground with all-new equipment and surfacing Nov. 16, the same day a Lake Forest Elementary School playground opened with city-funded upgrades.
The two playgrounds are a short walk from each other, with the school at Lake Forrest Drive and Cliftwood Drive, and the park at Lake Forrest’s intersection with Allen Road.
The city installed new equipment and surfacing at Allen Road Park Playground. Shaded slides, swings, climbers and crawl tubes were included, a city press release said. The peripheral ground elements are wheelchair accessible. Wood mulch has been placed below the swings. New sod and plantings were also installed nearby.
The city approved the purchase of two vacant properties adjacent to the park for $1.2 million on Feb. 4. The properties at 75 and 85 Allen Road are a combined 1.52 acres to add to the 3-acre park, which has sports courts, the playground and a nature trail.
The playground upgrade is separate from the two properties, said city spokesperson Sharon Kraun. The city hopes to create a master plan that encompasses the two properties and Allen Road Park. A timeline has not been developed, she said.
The city, in an intergovernmental agreement with Fulton County Schools, upgraded the playground at the elementary school, according to the press release. Synthetic turf was installed and stormwater improvements were made.
Similar upgrades are in progress at Ison Springs Elementary School on Ison Road that will include shade structures, fitness equipment and a walking trail.