Sandy Springs leadership cut the ribbon on Oct. 14 at the newly reopened and renovated Morgan Falls Dog Park, the city’s sole public space for large and small canines to run around outside.
Before the city’s facility upgrades (including ADA accessibility), drainage work, and installation of new sod and mulch, the dog park next to Morgan Falls Overlook Park was a muddy floodplain along the Chattahoochee River.
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said he remembers trips to the old dog park with his golden retriever, who loves rolling in the mud.
“There was plenty of mud for my golden here for a long time,” Paul said during the Oct. 14 ribbon-cutting. “We worked hard to fix the drainage issues here, and we spent a lot of time soliciting feedback from the community and our dog owners.”
New and improved
Paul also thanked Georgia Power, which owns the 3.4-acre park and surrounding property abutting the hydroelectric dam, for leasing the land and allowing improvements, including the installation of a water meter for a wash station.
The fenced dog park is on a gravel road along the Springway Trail, across from a state Department of Natural Resources boat ramp along the Chattahoochee River.
Recreation and Parks Director Brent Walker brought his dog to the ribbon-cutting and chatted about the city’s only dog park.
“The new dog park has shade structures and new water stations; it’s ADA-accessible now,” Walker said. “It has an ADA parking space and hardscape for people who need additional support to come into the dog park.”
The large and small dog areas have been improved with pristine grass, mulch, and boulders for climbing and sitting. Walker said the wash station is a needed feature.
“If your dog likes to get in the river or gets dirty out there, you can actually hose them off before you take them home,” Walker said.
The city has two major recreational areas: Hammond Park, near SR 400 in the Central Perimeter business district, and Morgan Falls Overlook Park, with the surrounding athletic fields and multi-use trails.
Investments in northern park
Walker said the Morgan Falls Athletic Complex is due for a major upgrade next year, including the installation of artificial turf on all 10 fields, new parking spaces, and stormwater management improvements to prevent flooding.
“The completion date for the athletic complex work would be more like2028, and we hope to start in mid-2027,” Walker said. “We have to do that work around the [Sandy Springs Youth] Association’s schedule for games.”
The city’s recreation and parks department renovated restroom facilities at Overlook Park earlier this year.
Down the road at Morgan Falls Overlook Park, Walker said the city is getting ready to expand the kayaking facilities with a new boathouse along the Chattahoochee River. Because there is so much kayak use, Walker said the city is working with its vendor to expand storage space.
“We’re just waiting on it to be manufactured and floated down,” Walker said. “So, [the new dock] could show up any day now. It’ll happen, hopefully this fall.”
