DeKalb Parks to hold community meeting to discuss Zonolite Park masterplan May 6

DECATUR, GA– The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will hold a community meeting to discuss the Zonolite Park Master Plan on Wednesday, May 6. The meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur.

County officials were joined by community leaders and residents at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 23 to celebrate new park improvements that include the installation of a new entrance sign, a wayfinding map sign, and fencing.

A total of $50,854 was allocated to complete the upgrades. Contributions were provided in part through the Park Pride’s Grantmaking Program, and the DeKalb Parks Department to complete the project.

“Zonolite Park continues to be a valued green space for our community, and these improvements help ensure it remains welcoming, safe, and accessible for all who visit,  said Christopher Bass, Parks Director. “We are proud to partner on projects that enhance the overall park experience for DeKalb County residents.

These upgrades reflect DeKalb County’s continued commitment to improving community spaces and ensuring that residents and visitors have access to welcoming, functional, and well-maintained parks.”

The 14-acre reclaimed brownfield is located at 1147 Zonolite Place NE near the intersection of Johnson and Briarcliff roads. The park currently features trails along the South Fork of Peachtree, connecting to the Morningside Nature Preserve in Atlanta.

For decades, community advocates and local leaders have pushed to transform the Zonolite property, once home to an industrial site contaminated with asbestos fibers. The site operated for years as a processing facility for Zonolite attic insulation, a product manufactured by W.R. Grace & Co. using vermiculite ore shipped from Libby, Montana. The ore was later found to contain dangerous asbestos fibers linked to cancer and serious respiratory illnesses.Federal authorities ordered a cleanup of the Atlanta property after investigations revealed widespread contamination to the former process plant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversaw the removal of tens of thousands of contaminated soil from the site, a massive remediation completed in 2012. The cleanup paved the way for the property’s eventual conversion into a public space. 

Attendees at the upcoming meeting will have the opportunity to learn more about the vision for the park, ask questions, and share feedback that will help shape the final plan, county officials say.

The Zonolite Park Master Plan aims to guide future improvements, enhance recreational opportunities, improve amenities, accessibility and overall visitor experience, while preserving natural features and priorities of the surrounding community.

Photo above: DeKalb RPCA Director Chris Bass, community leaders and residents held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 23 to celebrate new  improvements at Zonolite Park that include the installation of a new entrance sign, a wayfinding map sign, and fencing.