Author, exonerated of murder conviction shares her life story ► PAGE 5
Spring Plant Sale! Summer Veggies Annuals Pollinator Plants and So Much More! Friday April 11- Sunday April 13 9am-4pm (Fri & Sat) 11am-3pm (Sun) Greenhouse complex- Across from the Skate Park in Brookrun Park, Dunwoody
April 3, 2025 | AppenMedia.com | An Appen Media Group Publication | Ser ving the community since 1976
City opens new Waterford Park playground By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody officially opened the new playground at Waterford Park off Dellrose Drive. The playground includes swings, slides, vertical ladders, a fireman’s pole and a tunnel with play areas for children ages 2 to 12. The public space also includes two tennis courts, a pavilion
and restrooms. Waterford Park opened in 2021 after former DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester set aside around $125,000 in park bond money to purchase the space from the Waterford Swim and Racquet Club in 2019. The city removed the on-site pool and replaced it with a sod meadow. Future plans include trails connecting to surrounding neighborhoods.
Former Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Director Brent Walker said his team identified the northeast portion of the city as in need of greenspace and more recreational opportunities. Last year, the City Council approved a $164,460 contract with Bliss Products and Services to purchase and install the playground.
See PARK, Page 18
Students draft designs for Lemonade Days DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Preservation Trust congratulated three Peachtree Middle School students March 25 for their winning T-shirt designs for the 25th annual Lemonade Days Festival. The local nonprofit selected hand-drawn T-shirt designs from Tess Derschad, Elizabeth Townsend and Henry Goertermiller out of 346 contest entries. Tess drew three cups of lemonade for her design, referencing the festival creators with a “Dunwoody Preservation Trust” bunting across the top. Elizabeth’s design focuses on the nature within Brook Run Park, referencing the
petting zoo and including the quote “This Lemonade Days is a squeeze of Heaven!” Henry’s T-shirt design is more abstract with an emphasis on 2025, the festival’s 25th anniversary, including the motto “Stay Cool” and a Ferris wheel. The Dunwoody Preservation Trust launched Lemonade Days in 1999 with help from the Nature Center and Dunwoody Homeowners Association to raise money in the wake of an April 1998 tornado that caused more than $150 million in property damages across the city.
See SHIRTS, Page 18
DUNWOODY PRESERVATION TRUST/PROVIDED
From left, Peachtree Middle School students Tessa Derschad, Elizabeth Townsend and Henry Goertermiller display their winning T-shirt designs for the Dunwoody Preservation Trust 25th annual Lemonade Days Festival April 23-27 at Brook Run Park.
Dunwoody amends green building rules to simplify pathway toward certification By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council amended its green building policy March 24 during a quick meeting capped off with a transportation update from Mayor Lynn Deutsch. The green building policy ensures the city’s facilities and buildings are designed, constructed and renovated in a sustainable manner. It’s the first revision in 15 years. Dunwoody is in the process of designing two buildings at Brook Run Park, a warehouse and offices for the Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments. It has just under $1.37 million available in its budget within the capital projects fund. At a February meeting, Public Works Director Michael Smith discussed a contract with Muller Purcell to serve as a manager during the final design process, advise on the project’s feasibility and prepare a construction cost estimate. He said construction is slated for later this spring or summer.
See POLICY, Page 18
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