Art Along the Betline

Art as a feature of the Atlanta Beltline and the built environment encourages increased physical activity and improved fitness. These photos were taken along the Eastside Trail of the Beltline near the Inman Park neighborhood.  With a health and wellness focus, the Atlanta Beltline installs artwork scattered along the trail which changes every fall.  Each new season is kicked off by lantern making workshops followed by a parade in mid to late October.  Community involvement and participation in events such as the Lantern Parade encourage community unity and pride which in turn encourages residents to promote the use of the beltline to residents and others around the city.  The art along the Eastside trail is scattered strategically to ensure the trail is aesthetically pleasing in hopes that people are more likely to use the path for exercise.  The Eastside trail could be described as an urban art gallery with pieces changing periodically and a full overhaul every fall.  The art strategically installed along the beltline relates to the built environment in the fact that it improves the aesthetics of the trail.  While people may be less interested in ensuring the recommended amounts of daily exercise, if a trail is nearby and visually appealing, it may encourage more people to get at least 30 minutes of walking/running exercise per day, if for no other reason that to see what is new along the trail. The art is strategically placed so that it takes several trips along the length of the east side trail to absorb everything including art, landscape design and architecture.

Active Transportation Along the Beltline

An urban walking/biking trail is a great way to promote health and wellness of area residents and promote active living.  The Atlanta Beltline promotes active transportation by designing pathways that are only accessible by foot or other non motorized means of travel.  As such, bicycles, roller skates/blades, skateboards....are readily seen when walking or running the trail.  The use of these methods promote active transportation to and from parks and green space areas along the trail or restaurants or even grocery stores.   Active transportation also assists in not only improving our physical health by encouraging exercise in a fun, engaging matter but also promotes environmental health as well.  The less dependent residents are on cars, buses and trains the more ecological improvement can be made to our physical environment.  Fewer motorized vehicles being used for routine activities, such as errands to the store or dinner plans, reduces the carbon footprint making residents better stewards over the earth and its natural resources.   A positive, although possibly unintended, side effect of this design to encourage active transportation is it works to mitigate safety and security risks to a certain extent as well. This staircase, in the above photo, from Highland Avenue is an example of the engineering promoting active transportation while reducing access to the trail. The Eastside trail is not accessible by motorized vehicles, but area residents can park nearby and take footpaths to access the trail. Interestingly, the Atlanta police department has a police presence as occasionally police smart/electric cars can be seen parked in the area and sometimes on the beltline itself. But, they also are likely to have police officers on bikes patrolling the area too. The photo below is of a smart car used to patrol the Beltline by Atlanta police officers.

Parks and Greenspace Along the Beltline

Weekends usually consist of Saturday mornings at the gym followed by a walk along the beltline. As such, this photo was taken on a Saturday morning in March on one of my usual after gym walks. There are several green spaces along the Eastside Trail of the Beltline which connect the Skate park (pictured above ), the Old Fourth Ward Park ( pictured below) and Piedmont Park. Incorporating access to green space in city planning is critically important for mental health, especially for city residents, to reduce fatigue, depression and other adverse mental health conditions.  Historically, people have not resided in vast, densely populated ( largely concrete) areas essentially removed from any and all natural influences. And, as such, optimal mental health is not developed in strictly urban settings. Thus, the importance of designing green space into city and regional planning.  The Atlanta Beltline organization has done well in promoting the importance of designing access to green space within the overall development plan. People often use the spaces to read or meditate as well as play sports or sunbathe. Green spaces provide a respite from the stress of everyday life and are an effective tool to refresh and refocus the mind.  The picture below is of the Old Fourth Ward park.  Included with this park is a children's play ground (not pictures).  For children, access to green space is also critically important as it can improve their attention and classroom participation.  Green spaces are also documented to help naturally manage ADD/ADHD commonly found in children as well. Youth benefit greatly from parks and green space as well.   The young man skateboarding in the picture above has been provided an outlet to learn a new skill and/or develop an interest which promotes active living through implementation of the Skate park.   The construction of the skate park as part of the new Eastside trail development has given this person access to physical sport which may not have been previously pursued.  Without access to such outlets and planned activity for youth, who are more prone to poor decision making, it is possible that extra energy could be applied elsewhere in a less productive and viable manner.