Tucker Town Green’s lush two-acre park opened Nov. 14, debuting as a new place for play, connection, and entertainment for downtown Tucker.
“We see the Green as the heart and soul of downtown Tucker,” City Manager John McHenry told Rough Draft Atlanta. “Now, that the park is complete…we see this as a catalyst.”
If the estimated 400 Tucker residents who filled the park space Friday night is any indication, the city could see more economic activity and engagement in the weeks and months to come. The $8.6.-million development includes a stage, state-of-the-art bathrooms, two playground areas, fountains, and an S-shaped sidewalk.
Children were seen exploring the area, taking advantage of the space, including Marcus Drayton’s children. Drayton said his little ones enjoyed rolling up and down the multiple moguls placed throughout the Town Green at the grand opening party.
“It’s nice to have a brand new space,” Drayton said. “Tucker is definitely a family-oriented town, so we’re going to enjoy the community events and tailgating events that we’ll have here.”
After years of envisioning it, Tucker Mayor Frank Auman said it’s a gift to see the park come to life as his tenure is coming to a close. City officials and Mayor-elect Anne Lerner, who was also a council member during planning, will ensure the space can be a boon for commerce and community gathering.
“It’s great timing for a sendoff, we didn’t quite plan it that way, but it turned out good,” Auman said during the grand opening event. “The idea is to activate different parts of downtown, so we’ll do artist markets and farmers’ markets and those kinds of things.”
A townhome project recently broke ground adjacent to the park, which will welcome more than 60 homes. The hope, Auman told Rough Draft Atlanta, is that the new downtown park will serve as a gateway for “reliable, consistent, everyday foot traffic” to downtown restaurants and businesses.
(Photos by City of Tucker)
The evening’s ribbon-cutting was followed by a surprise tribute to Auman to recognize his service and commitment to the city as the first mayor of Tucker. Ishri Sankar, the city’s public works director, presented Auman with a heavy and meaningful gift: a portion of Tucker’s original rail from Railroad Avenue.
After the presentation, Auman, city council members, Mayor-elect Anne Lerner and several other former city council members toasted with Tucker Brewing Company’s limited-edition Tucker Lager. The commemorative cold brew served the dual purpose of celebrating the opening of the Tucker Town Green and Tucker’s 10 years of cityhood.
“Throughout the coming year, the community will have several opportunities to celebrate major milestones and accomplishments from the past decade,” Sonja Szubski, Tucker communications director, said in a statement. “The construction and opening of the Tucker Town Green are the more visible ways cityhood has enhanced the community of Tucker.”
