ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council approved a one-year, $150,000 feasibility study focused on the creation of Atlanta’s first LGBTQ Community Cultural, Educational and Recreational Center.
City council members approved the funding on Monday, allowing Mayor Andre Dickens to make an agreement with the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA) to conduct the study.
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The vote by members of the council approves one of Dickens’ initiatives for inclusivity.
“Atlanta has one of the largest and most thriving LGBTQ communities in the nation, and the city deserves a thoughtful and tangible place to honor the legacy and contributions LGBTQ Atlantans have made to our culture,” Dickens said in a statement. “I look forward to working with our Administration’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, my Senior Leadership and members of our LGBTQ community to chart a smart, forward-looking plan that memorializes Atlanta’s prominent role as a welcoming and inclusive city.”
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According to the mayor’s office, the City of Atlanta is known globally for its inclusivity regarding the LGBTQ community and is the first-known city in the United States that requires LGBTQ Cultural Humility Training for its employees and elected officials.
Officials said 83% of the city’s workforce had completed the training, which was about 14,000 workers and officials.
The mayor’s office said that once the community center is completed, with an expected opening time of 2030, the AFCRA will be operated on the city’s behalf.
The ordinance approved for the feasibility study said the cost of construction for the facility would be between $30 and $50 million, and would be paid for in thirds through government funds, philanthropy and fundraising and individual donations.
Among the various LGBTQ-focused initiatives of the Dickens administration, the mayor’s office highlighted recent changes to the Atlanta Rainbow Crosswalk at 10th and Piedmont in midtown Atlanta.
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