Meetings and Events - Proctor Creek
2021
The 2021 Atlanta Music Festival (January 25-January 30, 2021)—focused on Proctor Creek and the West Atlanta watershed, tributaries of the Chattahoochee River that flow through the West side of Atlanta and the communities that surround them. Performances and engagements were held in person and virtual. Performances were intended to entertain, stimulate, engage, and open the hearts and minds of audience members to the confluence of the environment, social justice and racial reconciliation. Proctor Creek was chosen as the focus of the festival because of its complex community history in which race, poverty, segregation, environmental degradation and commerce intersect. Video: https://vimeo.com/498338389/2d2ebbfcd8
2019
Georgia Environmental Conference held annually at Jekyll Island, Georgia from August 20-23. UWFP participated in two sessions, the 1st titled “Sustainable Practices and Partnerships: Proctor Creek and Beyond.” Speakers included: Jim Nichols – NASA, Phillip Reagin – EcoSPEARS, Jon Radtke – Coca-Cola and Darryl Haddock -UW Ambassador. The discussion was on how we leverage and strengthen partnerships to support the achievement of a healthier environment to ensure a cleaner environment and a better future. Team members from NASA, EcoSPEARS, WAWA, and Coca-Cola discussed the importance of implementing sustainable practices within their organizations to help accomplish the goals of: improving local food, water, and air quality; delivering clean water and sanitation to impacted communities; implementing sustainable green environmental technologies; and ensuring and protecting human health and well-being.
The 2nd session was a “Fireside Chat” about Trash Free Watersheld titled “Keeping Southern Waters Trash Free – Efforts to Reduce and Prevent the Flow of Aquatic Trash to Large Aquatic Ecosystems.” We discussed EPA’s water quality partnership programs including Trash Free Waters, Urban Waters, and National Estuary Programs. Experts discussed how to develop the partnerships necessary to minimize the flow of plastics and other trash into our rivers, streams, and oceans, using the Proctor Creek, Atlanta Trash Trap project as a case study along with a discussion of other project opportunities using private- public- philanthropic partnerships.
2018
Urban Waters National Training Workshop
Participating with EPA and other federal partners in a successful strategic planning workshop for Urban Waters. Roughly 140 invitees attended the two-and-a-half-day event. Presenters included representatives from foundations, federal agencies, and the private sector.
EcoSPEARS
Meeting at EPA Region 4 HQ. EcoSpears developed a transformative in-situ technology to extract & destroy PCBs (and other persistent toxins) from water and soil. Invited City of Atlanta, State of Georgia EPD, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and Federal Partners to meet and discuss demonstration project determine sites to remediate high concentrations of PCB and gamma-chlordane found in stream sediments as determined by recent EPA Fish Tissue Study.
Kresge Climate Resilience & Equitable Water Systems (CREWS) convening
The Kresge Environmental Program is committed to transforming urban storm water and waste-water systems so they provide reliable, equitable, and innovative services to communities despite the uncertainties introduced by climate change. 60-75 participants engaged in discussions about transforming our urban water systems and making them more climate resilient and equitable.
2016
Ribbon Cutting: Vine City Park
The ribbon cutting of Phase II developments of Vine City Park will takes place May 19, 2016. Phase II developments in the park include a playground extension, intallation of green infrastructure amenities to alleviate negative impacts of storm water runoff, a pollinator garden, installation of fitness equipment, and extnesion of a walkway through the park. Mayor Kasim Reed will provide opening remarks.
2015
November: Forum on Green Infrastructure
An Atlanta University Center Community Forum on Green Infrastructure was held on Saturday, November 14th. The event was called Buildign a Bridge Between Campus and Community Through Green Infrastructure. Participation helped bridge the gap between the English Avenue, Vine City, and AUC communities, making the capuses more sustainable and helping to reduce the impact of downstream flooding in the Proctor Creek Watershed.
November: River Rendezvous
The River Rendezvous was held on Saturday, November 7th. This Chattahoochee River Keeper (CRK) and West Atlanta Watershed Alliance event brought together many citizens, government officials, and local partners to Proctor Creek to learn about water quality monitoring, sampling, and cleaning of the creek. This was the second annual event and it was a huge success drawing more than 50 residents, partners, and local college students out for a wet weather monitoring event. The event was intended as a "snapshot" for community training and engagement. CRK will host a data-sharing workshop to explain the data from this sampling in 2016.