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Marietta Officials Consider More Improvements To Parks

February 6th, 2014

In 2009, Marietta voters narrowly passed a parks bond referendum worth $25 million.

“This was the first meaningful sum of money we’ve received for parks in terms of capital improvements since 1996,” says Richard Buss, the director of parks and recreation for Marietta.

Since that vote Buss says, Marietta has spent about half that total on improvements like playground renovations, lighting systems and more parking.

Organizers that push for “greener” areas are applauding this move by Marietta, but can’t say the same for Georgia as a whole.

An audio version of this story.

“We’re largely fallen to other Southeastern states in the fact that other parts of the country have done a better job of investing into their parks system,” says Michael Halicki, the executive director of Park Pride.

Back in Marietta, officials are discussing spending about half-a-million dollars to improve Custer Park.

Additional talks are scheduled for later this year.