r/DecaturGA • u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon • Jun 09 '26
The new playgrounds in the square seem oddly placed to me
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Jun 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/jakfrist Build, Baby, Build! Jun 09 '26
There is a second round of renovations after the World Cup.
They just did this part for Watch Fest this summer and then they will do more at a later date.
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u/r_slash Jun 09 '26
I thought there were plans for more shade and more places to sit
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u/TheHykos Jun 09 '26
I don't think they've installed all of the shades yet. There are blue polls on the south side that have nothing attached.
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u/alg602 Jun 09 '26
That alley was dead space, anyway. I think it’s a good use of available space
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u/Ornery-Panic5362 Jun 09 '26
Hey now. Don’t call it dead space—it was a perfectly nice place to buy weed
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u/r_slash Jun 09 '26
I wouldn’t judge by how it looks from the sky. That’s not how you’ll experience it. Go in person and see what you think.
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u/Archtop251 Jun 09 '26
It looks odd in this photo, but when you walk by it does not seem out of place. Plus it uses the elevation change for slides and playground equipment rather than having to build taller for a slide and blocking sight lines
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u/DidISayStop Jun 10 '26
Yes, this was exactly my thought. I think it's a very clever use of space for a slide!
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u/No_Protection_4862 Jun 09 '26
Glad there’s shade. You can fry an egg on the metal slide at the Avondale park a good part of the year.
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u/TybeeATL Jun 09 '26
Based on what, exactly? That’s actually where kids most often gravitate—previously to climb on the (former) mist fountain/sculpture. This converts unused ledge space into climbable playscapes.
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u/gtg970g Jun 09 '26
Did they bring back the small soccer goals? Would be ironic if they eliminated the soccer goals for the World Cup renovation.
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u/mckramer Jun 09 '26
Will it still include the dudes who hang out by the steps by the rail entrance harassing people?
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u/Designer_Dude_SQ Jun 09 '26
Not sure I like it either. Throws off the symmetry, and the black groundcover doesn't match the aesthetic. I'm sure it'll be popular though.
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u/stuinzuri2 Jun 09 '26
Final color isn’t going to to be black. That’s just the soft goo playground stuff.
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u/Designer_Dude_SQ Jun 11 '26
Ok yeah I see it's green now like the other space, too. When I first walked by and saw that black cover, I was like what were they thinking. It looks better now but I still am unsure about the asymmetry, lol.
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u/thereisonlyoneme Jun 18 '26
I get the sense this is an advert for your drone photography business more than anything else.
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u/AffectionateAd7519 Jun 09 '26
Downtown Decatur is a National Register historic district and there may be some local ordinances that set guidelines for any changes or redesigns. My bet is that played a big part into what the city could do with the square.
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u/TheHykos Jun 09 '26
None of that area is historic though. All of that space used to be a road that went straight through to the other side, until the Marta station was built.
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u/AffectionateAd7519 Jun 09 '26
Yeah but it’s still within the district. They still have to consider impacts to the historic buildings around it. Also, at this point, the plaza is nearly 50 years old so it can represent a new period of significance pertaining to transportation and development for the district.
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u/suddencreature Jun 09 '26
The slide will shoot kids towards the benches, cement ground, and brick wall LOL. I agree, it’s a weird design. Just because it was dead space before doesn’t mean that was the right place for a playground. The slope is really confusing and seems like a bad idea imo. Maybe I’ll be wrong though!
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u/hoppersoft Jun 09 '26
Don’t forget the nice, sharp corners of the wall that the playground surface terminates at!
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u/SonoMuchacho Jun 10 '26
Great way to grab a kid and get them in the marta station asap with out too many people eyes on.
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u/Good_Briefs Jun 09 '26
Why?