DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Nearly three months after a DeKalb County park near the site of the future Atlanta Public Safety Training Center closed down, officials have announced a $1.8 million plan to reopen it.
Intrenchment Creek Park was shut down in March as officials cited booby traps throughout the park as a public safety issue.
Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln was at a news conference announcing the closure where DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond released photos of boards with nails, sharp rusted wire and other items spread across the park.
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Neighbors in the area say they enjoyed the park’s biking and walking trails.
Thurmond’s unveiled details of a new plan on Tuesday that would see the building of a new pavilion, trailhead, remote control airplane runway and walking trail.
“I know everyone is eager to get back to participating in recreational activities in the Intrenchment Creek Park, so we are thrilled to receive this funding to improve the quality of life for the citizens of DeKalb,” said DeKalb County Parks Director Chuck Ellis.
The funds come from the county’s 2023 Tourism Product Development Fund, which comes from hotel and motel taxes.
The more than 80-acre property also houses the South River Trail, which wraps around not only the future training site, but also several neighborhoods.
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For months, Channel 2 Action News has reported on the site of the future training center and Intrenchment Creek Park being targets of protesters.
“We hadn’t had the opportunity to inspect the park, because when we sent out employees, they were attacked with rocks or other objects,” Thurmond said when announcing the closure.
In the days following the closure, DeKalb County police and other agencies raided the park to clear out trespassers. Two people were arrested, three others left and police found vials of fentanyl in the park.
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