A Word From
Mayor Derek Easterling
H
ello, Kennesaw! Welcome to summer! I pray everyone is enjoying some time traveling to visit family and friends, lounging by the pool, hiking a mountain trail or finding peace in an awesome staycation. Our city continues to grow. We are bringing in new businesses and residents with opportunities to live, work and play. You might have noticed we are moving forward with the amphitheater construction at Depot Park, in addition to all the developments happening in the city. We have allocated the monies and secured the team to begin the process leading to construction. Related to the Depot Park amphitheater, I have a simple question for you. Who would you like to see headline our first concert? Should it be a weekend festival with multiple performers or something smaller? At the beginning of Memorial Day weekend, Dallas and Kincaid from New Country 101.5 featured the city of Kennesaw in their summer series program, “Your Town Project,” and broadcasted live from Main Street. This was a super fun event that featured some of our local businesses, city staff and community partners like Kennesaw State University. Of course, Dallas was thrilled to spend time with Scrappy the Owl. Just a short drive from our downtown, “A Garden With Wings,” a popular exhibit at Smith-Gilbert Gardens featuring a kid-friendly pollinator garden and a 1,500-square-foot butterfly house, opened July 1 for the season. Visitors to the pollinator garden will see an inspiring collection of annuals, perennials
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AROUND KENNESAW | July 2022
and flowering shrubs, which attract and support native pollinators like bumblebees, hummingbirds and butterflies. The expanded butterfly house offers an up-close experience with butterflies, plus the opportunity to see all stages of their life cycle. Visitors will see host plants that serve as food sources for a wide variety of caterpillars. The exhibit is included with garden admission and runs through July. If you are looking for something different to do this summer, visit the gardens. Most of the walking trails/paths are shaded. By the time you read this article, our Independence Day celebration will have happened already. Again, I am going to ask for your comments/input so we may serve you better (deasterling@kennesaw-ga. gov). How would you rate the performances? Do you have anyone special you want to see perform next year? What can we do differently to make it more enjoyable for you and your family? Remember, this is our town, and it is up to us to define who we are and what we stand for. Take time this month to reflect on our independence and the freedoms we enjoy, both as a nation and as an individual. Be grateful for what we have, and be willing to stand up for what you believe in. Together, we are creating the future of Kennesaw. Be blessed! Derek Easterling has served as Kennesaw’s mayor since 2016. He is dedicated to serving his community to the highest level possible.
