Lifelong Inman Park Vote Upcoming

The neighborhood will be voting on the Lifelong Inman Park Plan at our upcoming meeting, Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at the Trolley Barn at 7:30pm. 

The Lifelong Inman Park Plan was developed to guide Inman Park’s transformation into a Lifelong Community by incorporating the needs of older residents into all aspects of community planning, development, and living. It was presented to neighbors at the June IPNA meeting. 

This plan reflects a national Lifelong Communities movement and addresses four Lifelong principles. These principles were identified through neighborhood surveys, a walking tour, and a workshop along with input from IPNA Board and neighbor meetings. The plan addresses housing, mobility/accessibility, services/information, and social engagement. For each principle, the plan describes existing conditions and identifies goals and policies that will guide the development of the Lifelong projects the neighborhood undertakes.

ANNUAL IPNA FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION 

Join us to celebrate Independence Day at the Trolley Barn on Tuesday, July 4 from 4pm-6pm. Inman Park will provide the chicken and beverages and you bring a side to share. It's a great way to visit with your Inman Park neighbors or just show off your new Peachtree Road Race t-shirt! Hope to see you there! 

Event Coordinator: Carol Mitchell (404-659-2579)

Please join us for a volunteer event in Findley Plaza. We'll be beautifying the space and adding a unique art installation in anticipation of the Inman Park Festival. We need all the help we can get!

Please sign up using this link: 
http://www.signupgenius.com/…/20f0b4ea9a72ba3f58-l5pfindley/

Say Goodbye to Suicide Lane on Dekalb Avenue

Dekalb avenue is getting an overhaul, thanks to the Renew Atlanta bond referendum voters approved two years ago. The city held a second public meeting about the roadway on March 30th to present ideas designers came up with after getting input from residents.

The result was a list of options for the road and its intersections ranging from roundabouts and advanced traffic signaling to just two lanes with buffers, bike lanes and turn lanes. Those at the meeting were presented with the various designs and asked to vote on their favorite in a non-binding online poll.

None of the options included the so called “suicide lane”, the reversible lane that switches direction with rush hour traffic.

In Defense of Our Homeless Neighbors

As Inman Park resident, I want to welcome our homeless brothers and sisters, and stand in opposition to an article published in the Inman Park Advocator last month. The individuals referred to as “Urban Campers” in the article are our neighbors. They should be welcomed and treated with respect and dignity, rather than labeled with inaccurate, degrading stereotypes while calling for their forcible removal.1 Our neighborhood would not be the vibrant, progressive space that it is without all of our residents.

By definition, a homeless person “has no private property and therefore no choice but to perform tasks necessary to life [in a public space].” Encouraging the city council to revise the 1996 Urban Camping Ordinance to begin persecuting these behaviors encroaches on the humanity of an already vulnerable population. The ordinance, which made “the ‘improper use of public spaces,’ [illegal] including erecting tents or other temporary structures or objects providing shelter; sleeping in a single place for more than one hour at a time; cooking or preparing meals; or other similar activities,” was overturned as unconstitutional in 1997 in a class action lawsuit lead by the ACLU.

During its short span, Urban Camping Ordinance resulted in the arrest of a college student and an employed homeless person, among countless others, pushing them deeper into homelessness rather than out of it.3 In a recent survey, almost every homeless youth in Atlanta, when asked about their future, had goals, dreams, and in many cases, specific plans in place to achieve them.4 Let’s not revert back to damaging legislation that so deeply offends human dignity and pushes youth into harmful situations.

2017 Inman Park Diners Club

Yes, it is time to sign up for the Inman Park Diners Club and for those who are new to the Inman Diners dinner club, after you signup you will be invited to the kick-off party. At the party you will find out who is in your 2017 group and then you will attend 5 dinners with that group over the course of the year, approximately once every 2 months. I will suggest some dates but you as a group make your own decisions and dates can be changed at any time if needed.

The host or hostess has the honor to decide on the menu; emails out the recipes and everybody chooses one dish to bring. That means less work and less clean up for the host! You must live in Inman Park and you must to commit to show up at each dinner, dish in hand. Other than that, there are no requirements. This is not about cooking skills, large dining rooms, blind dates, or anything else. This is about having fun, getting to know each other and being able to walk home after some good eating and drinking with your neighbors. If you are not a member of the IPNA yet, this is a great opportunity to do so and it is free. This year the kick-off party will be on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at 7:30PM, 860 Euclid Avenue.

Please register here for the 2017 Diners Club.

In walking my dog, I noticed a "beware" sign someone posted about someone spotting a coyote. Knowing how common it is for coyotes to be in most urban and suburban areas around the nation (and in other Atlanta neighborhoods like Candler Park), I was not that surprised (even though I have never spotted coyotes myself even though I walk my dog daily). But I am afraid that some residents might needlessly over-react and hire some trapper to trap and probably kill those coyotes who might live around here. That will just open up the territory to other coyotes to come in.

I've been hosting a WRFG eco radio show "In Tune to Nature" since 2010, and I have interviewed many local experts who can help our Inman Park neighbors understand how to peacefully coexist with coyotes. This is one group https://coyotecoexistence.com (my friend Meta is a cofounder of Coyote Coexistence), and also the AWARE wildlife rescue group https://www.awarewildlife.org/how-to-live-with-wildlife I think either of these groups could send a representative to an inman park association meeting. Or perhaps you could use this information on their websites to help write an educational article in an upcoming Advocator.

Thank you! I appreciate you all working to help the neighborhood. I love it here.

Aging Well with Technology Recap

Steve and Karin Stern, our Inman Park neighbors and technology experts, provided a session on Taming Your Technology that included information on smart password management and organizing and managing files. We learned about the importance of choosing secure passwords and steps to take including avoiding using the same password for multiple sites and to never chose birth dates or other personal information as passwords. The session provided helpful information on cloud based password management software such as LastPass. Kathy Busko also gave a brief overview on Uber and Lyft car services and judging by the discussion, there is a strong interest and need for alternative transportation options.

During the session, many expressed interest in additional sessions as well as one-on-one in-home technology consults. Steve has offered to provide this service based on an hourly rate. For information on Steve’s services, he can be contacted at: [email protected]. Or 404-281-8582.

Look for announcements on our upcoming 2017 Aging Well Programs starting in February. These sessions are offered through the Lifelong Inman Park Committee.

URBAN CONVERSATIONS: T-SPLOST + MARTA SALES TAX REFERENDA

When October 24, 2016
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location Inman Park Trolley Barn

Event Management Team – Free Registration code required
General Admission – $25.00 (USD)
Your registration fee includes admission to the event, BBQ from Fox Brothers and beverages. A portion of this fee will also be donated to the Inman Park Neighborhood Association.
REGISTER HERE

Join us at the Historic Trolley Barn in Inman Park for a special edition of "Urban Conversations" as we discuss two measures that could help shape the future of Atlanta in a significant way. A team of distinguished city leaders who will explain what two referendums that City of Atlanta residents will vote on November 8. 

Lifelong Inman Park Plan
Workshop
September 29, Thursday  7:00 p.m. Trolley Barn

Inman Park neighbors are invited to a workshop to help design our Lifelong Inman Park Plan.

The workshop will be conducted by TSW Planners and the Lifelong Inman Park committee. Councilman Kwanza Hall, with support from IPNA, engaged TSW to develop an action plan to make Lifelong Inman Park a reality.

This event moves Inman Park toward realizing the lifelong community we all desire, a community where neighbors all ages can continue to enjoy active, healthy and productive lives. Your participation is important for our success.

Boost Your Business and Mary Lin’s Rockets!
Supporting the Mary Lin School Partner Program

Do you own a small business that could benefit from increased exposure to the residents of Inman Park and our surrounding neighborhoods? Do you also believe an excellent public school is KEY to a thriving community? If so, the Mary Lin School Partner Program is a WIN-WIN for your business!

Mary Lin Elementary is a public elementary school serving the Inman Park, Candler Park, Little 5 Points and Lake Claire neighborhoods. We have 475+ families with nearly 650 students and 70 staff members. Becoming a school partner gives your business year-round exposure to a large and diverse community that has a great record of supporting local businesses.

The Mary Lin Education Foundation (MLEF) is collaborating with the Mary Lin PTA on the Partner Program so that we make only one ask annually of our local businesses. Both the PTA and the MLEF benefit from this important source of funding (a 50/50 split), and 100% of the funds raised go toward our shared goal to ignite every Mary Lin student’s imagination and intellect to its fullest potential.

Supporting the Grady Cluster Schools
By the Inman Park Education Committee

Incredible things are happening in the schools that are part of the Grady Cluster. Inman Park children attend Mary Lin ES, Samuel Inman Middle, and Grady High and more than ever, these schools are offering outstanding education opportunities both inside and outside the classrooms. These programs often require community support and the education committee hopes that IPNA will agree with the funding requests we have made for fiscal year 2016-17. Our schools are one of the best reasons to live in Inman Park and the school's continued success means the success of all the children.

At Mary Lin, the new addition and renovation completed last year relieved the overcrowding and gave the students and teachers some much needed space. The front of the school (where the teachers and staff manage the car pool line) is in full sun so the school would like to install sail shades (much like those over the baby pool) to bring some welcome relief. Additionally, the original outdoor classroom created many years ago was lost when the school footprint was expanded. There are plans for a new outdoor classroom to foster interest in the environment and the school would be very grateful for funding to help with this.

Inman Middle School, through Dr. Betsy Bockman’s award winning leadership and the teacher’s hard work, the school is considered one of the best middle schools in the state of Georgia. Offering a diverse array of connection classes including language, music, art, and JROTC, the school works hard to create an academic and culturally rich student body. The science program is one of Inman’s best-kept secrets. Each year the 7th grade students go on a field trip to understand the ecology in our ocean and rivers. In past years, the students went to Cumberland Island but the education cabins and classroom is being renovated so they now go to the Coosa River School of Science. It’s an extraordinary trip and Inman leaves no child behind so funds to support those students who cannot afford the $200 are desperately needed.

Recognition of our US Congressman
& former City Council member
John Lewis.

Recognition of our 5th District Congressman, the Honorable John Lewis on August 7, 2016 at the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Settlement Agreement in Dellwood Park, one of the Olmsted Parks saved from destruction by the Presidential Parkway
Presented by long-time friend and former Inman Park neighbor, Ruth Wall:

“With Gratitude & Great Respect, we salute you for your tireless contribution to the protection of our Historic Intown Neighborhoods that were threatened for 10+ years by a Major Highway.

Recognition of our US Congressman
& former City Council member
John Lewis.

Recognition of our 5th District Congressman, the Honorable John Lewis on August 7, 2016 at the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Settlement Agreement in Dellwood Park, one of the Olmsted Parks saved from destruction by the Presidential Parkway
Presented by long-time friend and former Inman Park neighbor, Ruth Wall:

“With Gratitude & Great Respect, we salute you for your tireless contribution to the protection of our Historic Intown Neighborhoods that were threatened for 10+ years by a Major Highway.

Design & Public Safety
in Inman Park

Dear Inman Park Neighbors:
My name is Laura Dedenbach. I am a doctoral candidate in the College of Design, Construction, and Planning at the University of Florida. While I am a Gator, I grew up in Sandy Springs. My interest in the Inman Park neighborhood was sparked in March 2011, when I ran the Georgia Half Marathon.

My dissertation research involves a study of design and public safety in Inman Park. When beginning my research, I met and spoke with your neighbors, Dennis Mobley, Rick Bizot, and Jonathan Miller, about my research and the importance of your neighborhood. I am grateful for their guidance and support.

Does recycling matter? 

Can’t we just throw everything away and be done with everything? The answer is yes and yes - but that second one’s not a great idea. Recycling does more good than you may realize. The CHARM center, just a few blocks from the Atlanta Zoo, knows this well.

CHARM stands for Center for HArd to Recycle Materials. They are our local partner to the City of Atlanta recycling program but they go a step farther. Where the City accepts newspaper, cardboard, aluminum, plastic, glass, and steel, CHARM takes those and more. Why? Because Peggy Whitlow Ratcliffe realized our City’s citizens could do more. She’s opened an incredible facility that serves us all and makes our Paint, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, styrofoam, carpeting, televisions, mattresses, tires, light bulbs, batteries,electronics, and textiles were being thrown away in huge numbers.

Why does this matter? Because these are not healthy items that biodegrade. You know what they do? They leach various chemicals and elements into our groundwater that can be harmful.

Inman Park Traffic Update

You may have noticed some work being done recently at the corner of Lake/Austin and Elizabeth. If you are like me, you were probably reminiscing about the rogue crosswalk, observing the new ADA curb cut, and wondering what the heck is going on. We have good news on this and other traffic improvements.

1. The city has agreed to install a scramble light at the corner of Lake/Austin and Elizabeth. This means all lights will turn red when a pedestrian presses a button and we can cross in any direction we choose—yes, even diagonally. They have started this work and we are all eager to see this come to completion.
2. We should be seeing pedestrian crossings at both entrances to Inman Quarter and Inman Park Village Parkway at North Highland. These crossings will include beacons.
3. We have been working on getting a completed study for the intersection at Irwin Street and Krog Street. Good news is that the latest study supports installing an all way stop. This will greatly improve pedestrian safety.

We don’t have any confirmation on when these projects will be funded or started. We will continue to keep everyone in the loop as things get moving.

Inman Park, A New Atlanta History Center Exhibit

On July 2nd the Atlanta History Center will open a new exhibit entitled Gatheround: Stories of Atlanta. Inman Park is one of the communities featured. Highlights from the Inman Park installation include stories from the neighborhood’s revitalization beginning in the late-1960s, origins of the Inman Park festival and the ‘Road Fight’. “Prominent artifacts include the recently retired 9 foot long festival parade butterfly wings (gifted to the AHC by the Parade Committee), Road Fight t-shirts, “Stop the Road” sign, video footage of protests, and a slideshow of images of the trolley barn throughout the years “ said Jesse Garbowski, AHC’s Neighborhood Exhibition Project Manager.

Inman Park resident Bill Goodman donated the audiovisual work and almost all images and artifacts have come from former and current Inman Park residents as well as the neighborhood association’s archives. Content for the exhibit was developed with help from members of IPNA in collaboration with Garbowski. Garbowski emphasized the importance of neighborhood involvement in telling the Inman Park story for the exhibit.

When asked about the significance of the exhibit past president Dennis Mobley said: “Since moving to Inman Park in the late 1990s, Faye and I were steeped in the tales of the Road Busters, and have since called them Inman Park’s “Greatest Generation”. It’s one thing to read the Settlement Agreement and hear anecdotes about the Road Fight, but thanks to the Atlanta History Center exhibit on Inman Park, to see TV news footage of the civil disobedience, the neighbors in trees or with arms locked, chanting “We have a right to be here…….” was incredibly moving. My admiration for those who fought and won the good fight has grown immeasurably as a result of this vignette. I heartily recommend all Inman Parkers come see this exhibit!”

Annual IPNA Fourth of July Celebration

Join us for a couple of hours to celebrate Independence Day - it's a great place to visit with your Inman Park neighbors or just show off your new Peachtree Road Race t-shirt!

Come celebrate American's birthday - all Inman Park neighbors are welcome. IPNA will provide chicken and beverages. Please bring a covered dish to share.
Monday, July 4 from 4 pm - 6 pm at the Trolley Barn - rain or shine

Event Coordinator: Carol Mitchell 404-659-2579