West Midtown Could Get 2 New Playgrounds

Loring Heights kids may get to enjoy not one new playground this summer, but two.

The community has already broken ground on the site for the first playground, which will be in Loring Heights Park. 

According to Loring Heights Neighborhood President Ron Grunwald, the playground in the park is near completion. The manufacturer of the playground, Big Toys, Inc., will send 2-3 installers to supervise a community build on July 9.

"We'll be doing all of the heavy lifting," said Grunwald.

The playground equipment will cost the neighborhood $85,000. Some funds were raised through "very key" grants and donations, according to Grunwald. Contributors to the project include the City of Atlanta, City Council and Google, which matched a contribution from one of its employees.

The community also saved money by electing to build the playground themselves. Grunwald doesn't take the funds for granted, however. "It's never easy to raise the money," he said. 

The second park would be a memorial for Abby Smith, who recently died of brain cancer at age 7. Smith's parents are parishioners at Northside United Methodist Church and had been looking for memorial site for their daughter until recently.

Through the Metro Atlanta Project, a ministry of Northside Methodist which builds playgrounds in lower and middle income areas, the Smiths were able to approach Loring Heights about their plan. a park in the neighborhood. Then Midtown Church on Deering Road offered to have the playground on church property. 

The memorial playground has gotten approval from Neighborhood Planning Unit E approval. It now needs a Special Exception Permit from the city's board of zoning appeals.

Grunwald will also present plans for the park to a neighborhood committee that allocates funds from a cash settlement that Loring Heights reached with . Grunwald hopes to use some of the funds to finance the project.

"I think the playground is a win-win to honor this little girl," he said.