A Splash for My Birthday

This was taken outside of the Georgia Aquarium.  My birthday was a very crowded day.  As the picture shows, it is a place for all age groups.  The deduction that can be made from this picture is that people of all ages love to see creatures they would most likely not get a chance to see in the wild and be amazed.

 This whale shark was so large that he made every other creature look small.

This was the largest ray in the aquarium.  The wingspan of this creature had to have at least tripled mine if not more. 

Urban Waterfall

 The waterfall wall located in Woodruff Park seems to be a popular place to hang out.  People sit around in chairs playing games and talking.  The sound of the water cascading down the wall also provides a white noise in such a noisy urban environment.

Atlanta from the Ashes

This statue on the corner of Woodruff Park has to be my favorite statue in the city.  The phoenix is such a perfect symbol for Atlanta.  The city has been burned to the ground but refuses to stay down.  The flowers around this statue are beautiful.  Many people stop to look at and admire both the beautiful plants and the magnificent statue.  Right behind the statue are the chess tables in Woodruff Park, which see a fair amount of use.

Rec Footbal

This picture was taken of Phoenix Park II.  A group of local children are practicing football while their coaches yell out plays and instruct the youngsters in the ways of the game.  This field is on of the largest in any of the park I have seen around the city aside from Piedmont Park.  It gets heavy uses by the people of the Summer Hill and Peoplestown communities.

Historic Grant Park

This picture was taken in Grant park. This historic green space has been around for over one hundred years.  The path seen to the right takes people to the Atlanta Zoo. This green area is fun for playing catch and just relaxing around some trees in an urban area that is not very populated by green spaces.

Memorial Drive Plaza Park

This small stretch of what is called a "park" is not really much of one.  This picture is taken standing at the beginning and the path can be seen all the way to the end.  It is a nice little green space if you don't mind the constant rush of the interstate underneath you.  The people of the capitol and other surrounding workers may enjoy this small green space from time to time.

Greenspace at the Capitol

This green space outside of the capitol seems to be just for looks.  I have never seen anyone walking or sitting on the grass.  The landscaping is aesthetically pleasing, but if you can't touch and feel the grass, trees, or bushes, where's the enjoyment going to come from?

Courtyard for GSU Greek Housing

This is the small amount of green space Georgia State created for the 6 or 7 Greek organizations that inhabit this small area of Georgia State's campus.  Members of these organizations can be seen enjoying this green area often even though it is very small. The feeling of grass between your toes is a feeling many people miss when coming to school in a big urban area.

AtL

This playground is located in Woodruff Park.  On many days during the summer, little children can be seen playing on this play set.  That was not the case on this day as children were in school and there were signs up saying that the grass was resting. 

Frisbee Me!

This picture was taken in Hurt Park.  This small park located at Georgia State University provides students a place to play Frisbee, sit and read, and just relax in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Atlanta. The people out on this day were very friendly.  They through me the Frisbee a few times.  They also got a couple of the homeless people involved in the game.

Atlanta Skyline from Piedmont Park

This picture provides the perfect juxtaposition of urban green space to urban architecture.  This picture was taken close to Park Tavern on the corner of Piedmont Park. There weren't very many people out on this beautiful day.  The skyline shows how large the city is, while the open field in the park shows urban planners' understanding for the need of such a large public green space.