Rodney Cook Sr. Park, is a 16-acre (6.5 ha) park in the Vine City neighborhood of Atlanta, near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.[1] It is named after the local politician Rodney Mims Cook Sr.[2][3][4] The park officially opened on June 29, 2021.[5]
| Rodney Cook Sr. Park | |
|---|---|
  Location in Atlanta | |
| Type | Community park |
| Location | Vine City, Atlanta, Georgia, US |
| Coordinates | 33°45′44″N 84°24′28″W / 33.76222°N 84.40778°W |
| Area | 16-acre (6.5 ha) |
History
editThe park's construction was completed by a partnership among the Trust for Public Land (who oversaw design and construction),[6] the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, and the local community.[7][1] A major goal of the $40 million park was to manage stormwater and prevent flooding in the community.[1] The park was created after dozens of homes flooded in 2002, kicking off a long process of advocacy groups like Park Pride promoting the idea of a park and the government buying and razing 60 properties to convert the land.[6] In 2024, Hurricane Helene flooded much of the park but not the surrounding neighborhood.[6]
A statue of politician and civil rights leader John Lewis, by sculptor Gregory Johnson is located in the park.[8][9] The statue was unveiled on July 7, 2021, and Keisha Lance Bottoms and Andrew Young attended the opening ceremony.[10]
References
edit- 1 2 3 Jones, Hannah E. (September 12, 2022). "Cook Park: First year review of one of Atlanta's most innovative greenspaces". SaportaReport. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ↑ "Rodney Cook Sr. Park - City of Atlanta, Watershed Management". atlantawatershed.org. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
- ↑ Trubey, J. Scott. "Construction to start on Rodney Cook Sr. Park in Vine City". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
- ↑ Quinn, Christopher (July 6, 2019). "'Atlanta Way' questioned in pitched debate to name civil rights park". ajc. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ↑ Parks, Atlanta Area. "Rodney Cook Sr. Park, Fulton". Atlanta Area Parks. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- 1 2 3 Rojas, Rick (September 23, 2025). "In Georgia, a 'Sponge Park' Floods So the Neighborhood Won't". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ↑ "Rodney Cook Sr. Park in Historic Vine City | HDR". www.hdrinc.com. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ↑ Suggs, Ernie; Capelouto, J. D. (August 1, 2020). "Monuments to honor John Lewis' legacy in the works". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ↑ Erickson, Nick (October 6, 2020). "Capturing a soul: Alum creates sculpture of civil rights icon John Lewis for Atlanta park". Illinois State University News. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ↑ Suggs, Ernie (July 7, 2021). "John Lewis statue rises in Vine City's new park". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
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