Waiting for sweater weather
Aug. 27— It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody, written during the cool of the morning. It’s been a busy week of tooling around Atlanta for me. Why is it that we tend to venture out of our little comfort zone only when we have guests in town?
🗳 This week’s newsletter outlines plans for a new sidewalk in Dunwoody (hold the presses), election qualifying, the sad, but not unexpected news about the end of a Halloween tradition, a call to action for all you cowboy bikers, and news about upcoming events in our fair city.
🐪 It’s Wednesday!
Cathy
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Sidewalks on North Shallowford coming…. not soon
🚶🏾♂️The Dunwoody City Council at its Aug. 25 meeting discussed a $1.5 million contract to complete the final design phase of the North Shallowford Path project that will run from Cotillion Drive to connect to an existing path near Peeler Road.
The final design phase, according to a staff memo, will include an approved environmental document, right-of-way plans, and final construction plans that include stormwater analysis, signing and marking, utility plans, and erosion control plans.
“With the supplemental agreement the total contract will be $1,569,964 plus a five percent design contingency,” the memo said. “The Atlanta Regional Commission has allocated $560,000 under the federal Surface Transportation Program – Urban (STP-Urban) and $400,000 under the federal Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-aside Program, for a total federal allocation of $960,000 for the design phase of the project on North Shallowford Road.”
Because of the partnership between all the agencies, this segment probably won’t be built until 2027. Since I live near there, I can happily wait.
➡️ Here is the story about the sidewalk project and other updates and a related article from last week talking about who qualified to run for open three city council slots in November.
Step into a Storybook at the High Museum
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Sad news about the end of a Halloween tradition
🧙🏻When my kids were small, we drove by Briers North subdivision off Tilly Milly and admired the distinctive look of the gingerbread-like homes throughout, deeming it “the witches’ neighborhood.” Even when it wasn’t Halloween, the distinctive architecture of the homes read “cool haunted houses.”
That was no more apparent than in late October, when the highly decorated street threw a block party that was attended by thousands of people. Sadly, Briers North recently announced that the tradition will no longer continue.
“After more than 20 years of celebrating spooky season with you all, it’s with both gratitude and a touch of sadness that we share this message: starting in 2025 our neighborhood will no longer be hosting our annual Halloween event. What began as a small neighborhood tradition has grown beyond anything we ever imagined. We have been truly honored to see families return year after year – some who came as children, now bringing their own children.”
The decision was made considering the number of visitors and vehicles outgrowing its capacity, “along with increased traffic, parking difficulties, and safety concerns for both our guests and the surrounding community.”
🎃 Here’s a story we wrote in 2015 detailing the tradition and the challenges that its popularity brought to the neighborhood.
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Wheels up for the bike rodeo!
📿 This has bicycling proponent Joe Seconder written all over it. The City of Dunwoody will host a free Kids Bike Safety Rodeo on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 8-10 a.m. at Brook Run Park, offering young cyclists ages 5-14 essential safety skills in an interactive environment.
The drop-in event, located near the skate park at 4770 North Peachtree Rd., invites families to bring their bikes and helmets for comprehensive safety training that builds confidence and teaches real-world riding skills, according to a release from the city. Children must be able to ride without training wheels to participate.
“This rodeo gives kids the tools they need to ride safely while having a blast,” Seconder said. “We’re creating confident, safety-minded young cyclists who can enjoy biking throughout our community.”
🚵♂️ Here are more details about the day.
Side note: Watch this video for what will not be encouraged during the rodeo. Best lines – “Dad, keep going!” followed by, “Are you okay?”
Skip the trip, Broadway is coming to Brook Run
🧞♂️ Why go to Broadway when it can come to you? You can enjoy a night of Broadway favorites by Callanwolde Concert Band at a free concert at the Brook Run Park Amphitheater on Thursday, Sept. 4 from 7-9 p.m.
On the playlist: favorites from Rodgers & Hammerstein, “The Wizard of Oz,” “Aladdin,” and “Wicked.” You had me at Aladdin, even before learning that coolers are welcome. There will also be popcorn, water, and soft drinks available for purchase.
📅 Dunwoody has some other cool things coming down the road- check out the city’s calendar here.
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