Update on Murphey Candler Park by District 1 Brookhaven City Councilmember Linley Jones

This is an exciting time of change and improvement for Murphey Candler Park!  So many dreams have already been realized…the long-awaited dredging of the lake, the shoreline restoration of the eroding lake shore, a trash trap to keep the lake clear of debris, a beautiful new bridge, an all-abilities west-side playground, removal of invasive species, improved and expanded football/softball parking, a baseball drop-off lane, a beautified new entrance to the trails on the eastside, and improvements to Nancy Creek.  Much of this was recently completed even in the midst of the pandemic shutdown.

Many more improvements are right around the corner thanks to voters who passed the bond funding at the ballot box in Nov. 2018.  The vote was 60%/40% to fund six Brookhaven park plans, one of which was Murphey Candler Park, a park plan adopted by Brookhaven City Council on July 24, 2018 after heavy publicity of the park plan by the City and in the local media including, among others, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Crier, and the Reporter Newspaper, e.g., https://www.reporternewspapers.net/2015/12/05/murphey-candler-park-plan-praised-for-big-ideas/.

Next projects include the Murphey Candler Park II Trail which will connect Murphey Candler Park to Fox Glen Court via a trail and a bridge crossing over Nancy Creek.  Construction on this project is scheduled to begin in the fall and is funded from the Capital Improvement Plan separate from the Park Bond.  This will provide a new outdoor hiking area and access to Harts Mill Road.

On the lakefront, construction should also occur later this year for the wetland boardwalk.  The City’s contractors will utilize an innovative construction method that will enable the boardwalk to be built from the top down, minimizing disturbance to the natural area.

Upcoming improvements on the eastern side of the park include a new natural playground and a Community Green.  Construction will begin soon.  Additional and improved parking will also soon be underway by the pool and on the newly reopened Loop Road which will be repaved.

As for the Horseshoe (a/k/a Loop Road)* re-opening, concerns have recently been expressed about this portion of the project.  I have heard your voices on this as I have read your communications, fielded phone calls and emails, and hosted a community meeting.  I have worked to address these concerns.

First among the early concerns, most definitely shared by me, was the removal of trees at Horseshoe Road to accommodate parking.  In response, the Mayor and I personally vetted the plans that called for the removal of 34 trees and required the consultants to revise the plans space-by-space to minimize tree removal.  In the end, a parking plan was created for parking in and among the trees resulting in ZERO tree removal for that purpose.  In addition, the impermeable asphalt parking spot surfaces were changed to more eco-friendly gravel.  This creative, low-impact parking solution will provide the parking necessary to service the new playground and Community Green, as well as provide easy access to the improved trails.

Crime concerns for Horseshoe Playground and Parking have also been expressed.  In response, I lobbied for the installation of video cameras and addressed these concerns with Brookhaven Police Chief Gary Yandura, newly named as Georgia’s Police Chief of the Year. Chief Yandura responded that he has “no concerns” about crime on Horseshoe and opening it actually “allows us better access to patrol this area” which is more secluded and inaccessible when closed.  He also noted that there are no significant crime issues in similar areas of other City of Brookhaven parks.

In response to concerns about speeding and vehicle traffic on Horseshoe, I made sure the road would only be one way and secured a commitment for the City to re-install gates so that it can be locked and secured as needed.  For years, this area has been limited to foot access, with only those “in the know” aware that they could go around the locked gates and enjoy the area.  Now, the five pavilions on the Horseshoe Playground and Parking area will no longer gone unused, and the playground, Community Green and northeastern trails will be easily accessible to all. 

The City appreciates the citizen input about these concerns.  The concerns having been addressed, the plans are now finalized.  With all of these changes and modifications in place, the Horseshoe is now slated to be re-paved and re-opened to provide access to the great new playground and Community Green, as provided in the Park Plan approved by voters. 

Although some have expressed a desire to limit the size of events at the park, that does not appear to be necessary at this time.  Some of the park’s most memorable events are large, joyful outdoor activities like the Annual Duck Duck Goose Run and Earth Day.

Meanwhile, the City is still in the planning stages for a new community center at Murphey Candler. Citizen input is needed and wanted.  Only 215 responses have been received to the public input effort and, of those, 140 were from a single condominium association. The public input process, although delayed due to the pandemic, is still ongoing. Public Input Toolkits are available online through the City’s website at https://www.brookhavenga.gov/parks-bond-ref and through your local civic associations for individuals and groups to provide their input on the facility’s role and purpose. 

I could not be more excited about the future of Murphey Candler Park--this year and in the years to come. These improvements will have a lasting and positive impact on the park, the lake, and the neighborhood.

More specific information about the planned projects can be found at https://www.brookhavenga.gov/parks-bond-ref.  Also, you can sign up for Brookhaven Blast news and meeting alerts at www.BrookhavenGA.gov/communications.

I continue to encourage citizens to use the Brookhaven Connect app on your smart phone to report conditions in the park that need attention, and I thank all of the volunteers who do so much to enrich the park.  I hope that you will all join me in looking forward to great days to come at Murphey Candler Park!

Stay safe & stay healthy,

Your District 1 Councilmember Linley Jones

Linley Jones
City Councilperson District 1
City of Brookhaven
4362 Peachtree Road, NE
Brookhaven, GA 30319

(404) 637-0712

www.brookhavenga.gov
Linley.jones@brookhavenga.gov

*Note:  This statement was corrected to reflect the name of the area as Horseshoe, which has been publicly referred to as Loop Rd.