Parks are important places. The story of Mattie Freeland Park is unique, inspiring and all about community.

For many years, this community garden and gathering place was stewarded by dedicated neighbors and advocates to honor a beloved matriarch of Atlanta’s English Avenue neighborhood. Today, it’s an official city park.

Despite her family’s desire for her to relocate, Mattie Freeland stayed and anchored her corner of the neighborhood, ultimately living in the same house for more than 55 years. Miss Mattie, as she was known, opened her home to anyone who needed a meal or place to sleep. In 2007, one year before she passed away, Mattie asked New Life Covenant Church’s pastor if the church could transform an abandoned lot across the street from her home into “something pretty to look at” so she could enjoy the view from her porch, where she spent a great deal of time. The church and her neighbors worked together to clear out the lot to build a community garden and create a small gathering space.

A Comprehensive Approach to Conservation

Miss Mattie passed away before her vision for the lot was realized, but she continues to serve as the inspiration for the ongoing enrichment of this green space. Over time, community members have worked to enhance the property by clearing weeds and trash and seeking donations to help with improvements. Sod, trees and playground equipment were donated and soon the once vacant lot began to resemble a park. The community now hosts block parties, summer concerts, movie nights and even an annual Christmas tree lighting in the park.

In 2015, The Conservation Fund began acquiring nearby lots as they became available on behalf of Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation so the space could become part of the city’s park system and enjoy permanent protection as a community green space. The Friends of Mattie Freeland Park group also received a Park Pride grant, which included funding for a landscape architect and design team to help develop plans for the park. Over many years, TCF has assisted the Friends of Mattie Freeland Park with fundraising, community art installations and a park ambassador program that supports programming and green infrastructure maintenance. In 2022, we officially transferred the park to the city and opened the space up to the public, thanks to support from the JPB Foundation, U-Haul and many others.

Why This Project Matters

During the planning process, neighborhood residents shared many ideas about what they’d like to see in their new park, including a new playground, barbecue area, planters, benches and a pavilion. They also expressed a desire to see Miss Mattie’s house transformed into a community center. With support from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and Holder, Hunt, Russell, Moody (HHRM) — the construction conglomerate responsible for building the city’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium — the church purchased the property. HHRM redeveloped it into a vibrant community center open for meetings, workshops and classes to enable neighbors to learn new skills and connect with one another. Now, these two spaces will forever honor Miss Mattie’s memory and be available for the English Avenue community to enjoy.