This weeks planning meeting!

Just ended! This is a one hour meet from 7 till 8PM, it is now 1:47 AM. But we were making things happen, then got a call that made us say "We are in It to win It" and so we shall, Peace!

ALL THINGS ADAMS PARK!: Come, join us for a great a run or walk!

ALL THINGS ADAMS PARK!: Come, join us for a great a run or walk!

Come, join us for a great a run or walk!

5K.... Anyone!

Hello, the APCA FEST, 5K Run /Walk Registration Form is on it's way... Please plan to run or walk and sponsor five or ten other people and help APCA FEST, have an “Incredible, Foot Race”! And, then stay for our, Community Festival!!!!  A Health Fair, Jazz on the Lake, Arts and Crafts, Food Court, Family Stage, Community Forum, and AP KIDS Camp…

Come, Join Us!

Saturday September 22, 2012

In Adams Park.            

Visit, WWW. APCAFEST.org, for more and information and 

Volunteer!!!!

Planning Meeting 8/15!

I never believe in having more than 7 people at a planning meeting because typically when more show up very little planning takes place. Well this meeting had two new comers to the festivals planning meeting and once again I am pleased to say I really enjoy my neighbors. Mr. Dorsey has lived here since the late seventy's and is a photographer, artist and mentor.
A charming, intelligent and handsome man who was raised in Chicago, my hometown and graduated from the same high school as my mother. I always find that enjoyable! Newcomer #2 was Earl Cooper who is running for the District 58 Representative seat that was held by Ralph Long but was lost to Simone Bell in the July 31st primary election.

Earl Cooper, offered great information, he is progressive in his thoughts and activism surrounding children and APS. The one thing that he said that rang the loudest is that we have Representatives that only work three month out of the year and we must hold them accountable for all twelve months. What are they doing with the other nine months? Also Earl Cooper wants to participant in our festival as an ambassador. We loved the idea and plan to take him up on his offer!

 Looking forward to a "Great Day in Adams Park"!

Good News and Bad News!

 The APCA Fest, jazz stage will be on the lake..... literally. Thank you J. Long with your savvy self and for helping us make lemonade out of lemons. All of you who know the park know the tiny island on the west side of the lake or lagoon. For those of you who don't  check out the previous post regarding the landscape architect, William Monroe and the picture shows the area.

One of our neighbors, had a break in yesterday, only to be told by another neighbor that they saw a suspicious man on her lawn. First thing a person never wants to hear that you could have prevented someone from vandalizing their home. We must take back our community by being on alert if your neighbor has not introduced you to someone and you see them on their property "Call The POLICE" they are around the corner and down the street the number is 911. This must become a no brain- er, put that number on speed dial. I wish someone had done it for me and you want someone to do it for you. Your home is your castle and when someone violates it, it does not feel safe for along time. We must become a "Village", again. Years ago this happen to me and my so called neighbor, told me she saw someone near my back door (which they entered through). I never spoke to her again and moved shortly after that. I still see this woman and always think of her as a poor excuse for a neighbor because her actions or lack thereof was less than neighborly. 
Peace

  

The Hiccup requires a "Plan B"!

Flexibility is the name of the game... the city's office of special events has informed us that we possibly/ cannot use the canyon area for our festival due to possible reconstruction of the pavilion. Truthfully, when I saw the fire damage on the 5th of July, I was not that worried about our festival plans and moving forward. After seeing the clean up and how fast and well it went I was really hopeful. But it hit me later yesterday that we will not have access to the most beautiful part of Adams Park. I am talking rock formations that on a morning like this will have water run off and the stream is flowing. If you were to walk through it right now you would not believe that you are 10 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Meeting with parks and recreation this afternoon, have to come up with a possible "Plan B". Must make "Lemonade"..... and you already know, I have the purest of raw, unrefined, sugar to do so!
Peace

But this is what we saw on July 27th, Kudos Atlanta Parks and Rec.!

....And this is what I saw on the 5th of July!

The fireplace with two cooking grills and the grill that is built into the floor of this structure are the "Saving Graces" of the pavilion and they are in bad condition, but are easily repairable. The guy in the second picture is the park maintenance supervisor and he told me that our parks receive over $350K in damages yearly. Folks be kind to our parks they are the green spaces in our city where  we can go, most anytime of the day for free and enjoy nature, meet friends, speak with neighbors or simply take a nap in our community. 

The Large Pavilion in Adams Park before the July 4th fire.

This pavilion burned to the ground, I never heard a fire truck. I did receive an email late that evening.

A Disaster or a Hiccup..... Things Happen!

Well there has definitely been a couple of hiccups with the festival planning but the main one was the large pavilion burning to the ground on the 4th of July. That was a bummer, we had  change our strategy and become flexible. I want to send a "HUGE, SHOUT OUT" to Atlanta Parks and Recreation and to my nature loving, community activist CC, who stays on top of a situation until it is done, Thanks! The clean up has gone well and CC says it will most likely be rebuilt before the festival. Please know we have a "Plan B and C" if for some reason the pavilion, it is not rebuilt. Yeah!

Just A Peak!

      A Community Blog, about the history, the residents, the beauty and the spirit of planning a community festival.  We are a newly gentrified community and very proud to be residents of Adams Park.  We have fewer homeowners than ever before and our older residents/ owners have been on the front line for this community for a long time. I believe that while the community was going through a change my neighbors stopped visiting the park, which was designed for enjoyment. It is time for the new kids on the block to take direction and spearhead, implement and accomplish goals for Adams Park to keep it thriving and a wonderful place to call home for many years to come.

          The Civil War was fought on this land.  Adams Park was developed in the late 1940's. The land was donated by Dr. Charles Adams and sits in the midst of everything in Atlanta GA.  Adams Park boosts an 18-hole golf course, a lagoon, tennis courts, swimming pool, 3 pavilions, 3 baseball fields with batting cage, a recreation center and an amphitheater. The plat work for this neighborhood has hand written restrictions that requires people of African descent to never live in Adams Park, but we took care of that back in the 70's. I have neighbors who have lived here for 35 plus years. These are some of the most incredible people I have ever met in my life. I am so glad they stayed and we are going to have a festival, yearly that pays tribute to the community.  The people who live and work here, the landscape architect who used so much of the natural surroundings, that has sustained for so many years and my neighbors who are committed to see that it remains that way, to the great businesses here and the civil war that was fought here.

          APCA FEST Blog is about community and how Adams Park and your community play apart in the dynamics of a city. Let’ s discuss the Politics of a community and who are the key players and what are they hoping to accomplish in their tenure. I want to talk about  “Neighborly Love” and how do we become a village again, our schools, city planning, abandon houses, “FOOD MARTS” that do not sell good foods. Let’s talk about grants and funding and how to find out if your community has a historical significance and how to become recognized on your city’s Historical Registry. Surely there are grants and funding that may be out there to take advantage of and use to plan a festival, concert, Art Showing or “Screen on the Green” in your neighborhood.  So let’s discuss how to apply for them and how to plan community Event’s that truly bring communities together and anything else, you would like to discuss! Keep up with us on our Adams Park Cultural Arts Festival web site at www.apcafest.org.

You can always reach me at APCAFEST.blogspot.com or Sheryl@apcafest.org .

Thanks, I look forward to blogging with you!

It speaks for itself!

ALL THINGS ADAMS PARK!: The educator, up the street!

ALL THINGS ADAMS PARK!: The educator, up the street!:         I met a new neighbor today, Dr. Alfonso L. Jessie, Jr., Principle of Cascade Elementary School in Adams Park! What a pleasure! Of course I was asking for stuff. Can we place festival posters in your yard?Can we set up a water station in front of the school for the 5K?? He said yes to all and you know we like that. So to you Dr. Jesse, APCA FEST says let's plan a project, together! We know you run a "Tight Ship" and we want to support you!

A little history on the landscape architect, William Monroe whom designed Adams Park.

The Neighborhood Planning Unit aka NPU-R!

I wanted to discuss our community NPU-R which is my communication vehicle to the city. The acronynm, stands for Neighborhood Planning Unit, not sure what the "R" is for, it was recently added when more NPU's were added as well. There was too much confusion on the members of the NPU-R as well as the attending residents and neighbors. I personally did not understand all of the "Motioning"  and did not understand the word "Invocation" when asked if someone would like to offer it, Prayer! I have decided to commit to attending more of the NPU-R meetings to better understand what is going on or about to place in my community and I will study the By Laws that govern the rules for the members that sit on the NPU-R. On a good note APCA FEST, had to go in front of the NPU-R to discuss the festival and it was voted on by the community and the NPU-R board, unanimously!
     So on to the next, hurdle! The main pavilion in the amphitheater area, burned to the ground on the 4th of July and we have not received clearance as to whether we can use that space. That is the area where the Jazz stage will be and a restaurant/sponsor and most of our mature attendees. But we are on it! The park clean up is going well and the space looks good. Will there be a new pavilion built?.... No, but I told you I was a designer in a former life so that will be a snap! Will send pics soon, Peace!

I love production and have been working on Festivals and Event Planning for a few years. This year I am helping to plan my communities first festival and we plan to do it for many years to come. So the Festival date is 9/22/12 and we have begun to plan our entire "Run of Show" for the days events. We will be sure to keep you posted on how that turns out.

Welcome to APCA FEST aka Adams Park Cultural Arts Festival!

Hello and Welcome to APCA FEST BLog!

APCA FEST, is about my community and it's coming together for a festival. The blog is about the residents, commerce, activism, history, growth and of course Adams Park. I have met so many of my neighbors since we started planning a community festival. The talent that lives next door, the sax player around the corner, the community activist on the boulevard and me Sheryl Brown. Resident of nine years and an admirer of my community the people who live here and the beautiful and historic wooded Adams Park, that I live in.