Atlanta Memorial Park names director, begins fundraiser

By Collin Kelley

The Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy has named Catherine Spillman its first executive director as the organization’s master plan for the Buckhead greenspace continues to make its way through government channels.

A resident of the Springlake neighborhood, founding member of the AMPC board and past secretary, Spillman attended the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and the University of North Carolina.

Spillman’s appointment comes as the AMPC launches its fundraising campaign to raise between $10 and $15 million for renovations to the park, which includes the Bobby Jones Golf Course and Bitsy Grant Tennis Center along Northside Drive. Donations can be made at atlmemorialpark.org.

Expected to take a decade to complete, the renovations will be a boost to the Bobby Jones Golf Course, which hasn’t been updated in more than 80 years.

There would also be a new clubhouse, a new parking garage with rooftop tennis courts at Bitsy Grant and landscape changes for better drainage.

A few updates on projects in or affecting the park:

• The new Liddell Drive Equalization Facility is expected to come online July 1 as part of the Department of Watershed’s effort to moderate the overflow of sewer water during storms into Peachtree Creek, which runs along the boundary of the park.

• The Georgia Department of Transportation continues to review plans for the proposed new bridge at Northside Drive and Woodward Way. An announcement about the plan should be come in June.

• PATH continues to work on designs completing the Tanyard Creek PATH up to Northside Drive.

• Despite the departure of Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs commissioner George Dusenbury, the review of the master plan continues.