Vision
The Children’s Park of Georgia is being built to celebrate the lives of all children. Through artful trails and gardens, it will bring recognition and inspiration to the joys and struggles of families and children of all abilities. Beauty and meaning, whimsy and serenity will all unite in this unique park that will draw visitors and interest from all over Georgia.
Celebrate the lives of ALL Children
The heart and foundation of the park is to celebrate and honor the lives of all children – those with us, and those who’ve gone on, those struggling with special needs or medically fragile and those who are thriving, those who have a family that loves and cares for them and those seeking adoption. Through various naming opportunities, children will be recognized, celebrated and remembered.
Comfort and Encouragement
Through thoughtful park design planning, specific programming, and ever growing resources and outreach support, this unique park will fill a gap in our community and surrounding area to support those enduring very difficult trials. A private entrance is planned that will lead to the Quiet Refuge Path that will be a refreshing and inspiring walk adjacent to Canton Creek. It will feature several beautiful sitting areas. A prayer garden and chapel are also planned as a respite of comfort for those who are hurting deeply. There will also be thoughtfully planned features that cater to the needs of children who are coping with very big trials (i.e. loss of a sibling or parent).
Cherish Time Together
The Children’s Park of Georgia will be a place that children will love to visit… to play, explore and discover. They will leave feeling encouraged and appreciated. Parents, grandparents and others will also be refueled in their journey, whatever it may be, and find comfort and renewed focus to cherish each moment with precious children. There will be built in games within the park that make it easy to “play” and make memories. There will be many memorable monuments, amazing details like a milestone celebration zone and scenic picture opportunities that children and families can enjoy together now and share with their future children and grandchildren.
Accommodations for all abilities
With extensive input directly from experienced parents, we aim to raise the bar for standards to accommodate real life needs and comforts for parents with special needs and medically fragile children. This includes providing ample parking, expanded bathroom space with private changing areas for older children, sensory activity zones as well as wheel chair / stroller friendly ground cover. Additionally, Remember Georgia’s Children Foundation seeks to make the most of the opportunity to help families who have a different journey feel more connected through resources, program referrals, and planned educational opportunities as well as fun activities within the park.
Refuge to Refresh and Recharge
Conveniently planned adjacent to Northside Hospital – Cherokee, this unique retreat will be an ideal setting for patients, visitors, hospital staff as well as employees of surrounding medical office space to take a break and experience “nature therapy”. A parking deck that is currently on the hospital’s masterplan for future construction would have ground floor access to walk out directly to the back area of the park. By design, we have located special park features that would have the most appeal to these people groups, near this back entrance. These include a heart shaped prayer garden and chapel (for those dealing with difficult trials), a therapeutic sensory garden (ideal for Seniors and Occupational and Physical Therapy support), as well as a designated refresh and recharge station that could include adult “playground” equipment for exercise as well as tables and benches to enjoy lunch breaks. “The sights and sounds of our garden can reduce anxiety and stress and have a restorative effect on the physical and mental health of our patients.” Quote from employee at Smilow Cancer Center
Sensory Rich Therapeutic Garden
A therapeutic garden is defined as a garden or park space located near a medical facility that is thoughtfully designed for the people that will use it. In every sense of the definition, the entire Children’s Park of Georgia is a therapeutic garden. Specifically, in this designated section, accessible raised flower beds, lighting, and other features, will activate and engage the senses of seeing, touching, smelling, and hearing. “There is a growing abundance of qualitative and quantitative research that shows contact with nature engenders physical, social and emotional health benefits. In fact, daily contact with nature, in all its forms, has been shown to reduce stress, enhance recovery from illness and injury, bolster early childhood development, and improve cognitive functioning in those with memory impairments.” Quote from employee at Rosecrance of Illinois
Horticulture to Amaze and Delight
Year round color and unique accents are sure to engage children of all ages. Horticulture lovers will appreciate the great attention to every detail in the design right down to the plant selection. Once developed, a visitor in the park may rush through and never realize the thoughtfulness put into every aspect of the design. However, if one slows down and looks deeper, they will be amazed to discover that the colors, plant selection, and accents are living works of art. The interactive mobile app for the park will be a unique way to connect to learn the “stories” and inspiration behind the plant selections, monuments and features.