There is going to be a block party on Saturday, May 18th starting at 11:00 a.m. It will be held at Briarwood Park in the new playground area. DVCA will provide burgers, hot dogs, drinks,  and basics and we encourage folks to bring side dishes or desserts to share. Come out and meet with all your neighbors and check out the new playground! We’ll also have some activities for kids and adults alike.

Phase 1 of the Forest Patio project is completed (pictures attached). Thank you to all of our volunteers including Stephanie from Drew Valley, Terrell Carstens, Chris and Val Horner, Rob Turner and his family, Josh Sinclair, Anand Thaker, Greg Trinkle, Steve and Lee Walker. Big thank you to Greg Trinkle for the use of his pressure washer. Steve Walker built the fence yesterday. A few minor things remain including trellis’ at the community garden and garden plants. The landscape beds are built, perennials and herbs are planted, fruit trees are in the ground (Apricot, Apple, Peach and Plum) and the community garden fence is up. The Butterfly Garden in the center of the landscape will develop butterfly/hummingbird blooms by July or earlier. We’ll begin planting the garden when the irrigation system is installed in the next couple of weeks.

Phase 2 will consist of picnic table area renovation, irrigation system installation and river bridge reconstruction.

If you’d like to donate online please go to our website www.briarwoodparkga.org . Any funds donated will go towards a matching grant program from Park Pride. Not to say all funds will be matched but they contribute towards the Park Pride matching grant programs that occur in November. You’ll find promotional opportunities with Blo Beauty Bar (30% off) and Brookhaven Fitness Studio (free class) on our website as well.

We currently need river bridge reconstruction assistance and irrigation piping installation (installation only).

We’d like to thank the following corporate sponsors:

Melissa – Blo Beauty Bar – www.blobeautybar.com – Corporate Sponsorship

Rachael Moncayo – Brookhaven Fitness Studio – www.brookhavenfitness.com – Corporate Sponsorship

Kerri and Jared Levitt-Buckhaven Construction Services- www.buckhaven.com – Bobcat Services

Casey Tree – www.caseytree.com – Bobcat services, wood chip mulch

Jeremy Barnes – Ferguson Enterprises – www.ferguson.com – Irrigation Supplies

Rick Glisson – Haven Real Estate Investments – www.havenrei.com – New Playground Bathroom

Houston and Katrienne Feaster- K&H Homes -  Donor houses for landscape plants and trailer

Bill and Diana Waldrop – Kennesaw Mountain Daylily Gardens – www.kennesawmountaindaylilygardens.com – The most beautiful tetraploids you’ll ever see

Barry Stooksbury/ Brian Aguirre – Lowe’s Chamblee -  www.lowes.com – Countless items including but limited to garden fencing, landscape timbers, fruit trees, plants, deck stain, discounts and support

Tim Nama – Mayfield Signature Homes – www.mayfieldsignaturehomes.com – Picnic Area Renovation

The Home Depot – sprinkler heads and PVC fittings.

Robert Cole and Bennett Sands – Wood Partners – www.woodpartners.com – Topsoil, Donor landscape plants

http://www.reporternewspapers.net/2013/05/01/brookhaven-news-improvements-under-way-at-briarwood-park/?utm_source=Reporter+Newspapers+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=10195694e6-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_BK&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dbd6e0112e-10195694e6-406402669

Briarwood Park is receiving a makeover, with a new playground and pavilion area under construction.

Chad Boles, leader of the Friends of Briarwood Park, said these two improvements are part of a long-term revitalization plan for the park.

Though Briarwood Park is in the city of Brookhaven, it is still owned by DeKalb County. The county’s Parks and Recreation Department is installing a new playground, which is set to open May 9.

“At the new playground, there’s two areas. One area that’s for ages 2 to 8, the second area with larger equipment for ages 8 to 12,” Boles said.

The Friends of Briarwood Park are building what they call a “forest patio,” a landscaped pavilion area where the old playground was removed.

“It’s got new landscaping and will eventually house a community garden. We’ll have a trail that will run the length of the new landscaped area,” Boles said. “The vision for that area would be eventually we’ll be able to have community events, more outdoor social activities.”

Volunteers have been working hard on nights and weekends to get the community garden built in time to plant spring crops.

On a recent afternoon, several Drew Valley residents shoveled soil into wheelbarrows to move into the garden area.

Greg Trinkle said he enjoys walking his dog on the trails in Briarwood Park and he wants to give his time to help make the park better for his neighbors. “There’s always been a lot of activism in this area. It’s contagious,” Trinkle said.

Rob Turner, who came out to work with his four children, said he wanted to see improvements in the park but was tired of waiting around for the county to do it.

“This is the American way. You’ve got to do it yourself,” Turner said. “We’re taking the diamond in the rough and we’re polishing it.”

Boles said the project is possible thanks to donations and volunteers. “Everything in that project has been donated: time, materials, everything except the water meter. We had to pay DeKalb County for the water meter. But everything else has been donated by local corporations,” Boles said.

The Friends of the Park started planning regular work days last May to clean up the park.

“It’s been really neat. The community has come out in force and these volunteers are working their guts out. This is hard work,” Boles said.

In addition to cleaning up the grounds, Boles said the Friends of Briarwood Park would eventually like to have enough money to upgrade the pool and recreation center at the park.

“We’re all very interested in seeing a central area for our kids and families to meet and play together,” Boles said.