Livable Buckhead Awarded $160,000 from Park Pride for Mountain Way Common Improvements
Grant unlocks city bond funds for $450,000 Creekside Connection Trail project
ATLANTA – February 19, 2026 – A $160,000 grant to Livable Buckhead from Park Pride, an Atlanta-based parks nonprofit, is catalyzing a major enhancement to Mountain Way Common, unlocking City of Atlanta bond funds and accelerating construction of the long-anticipated Creekside Connection Trail.
Mountain Way Common has long been a beloved greenspace for north Buckhead residents with its winding, wooded paths and access to Little Nancy Creek. Today, as a connected amenity along PATH400, the park serves both neighborhood residents and trail users — and this new investment ensures it can continue to meet that expanded role while preserving its natural character.
The Park Pride grant leverages additional funding from the City of Atlanta’s Moving Atlanta Forward Bond Program to fully fund the first implementation phase of the updated Mountain Way Common master plan. The centerpiece of the approximately $450,000 project is Creekside Connection Trail, a five-foot-wide, ADA-accessible crushed slate trail looping along Little Nancy Creek and connecting all major areas of the 8.6-acre park.
Construction is scheduled to begin in late spring 2026, with completion expected by the middle of 2027. When complete, the project will:
- Create a continuous loop linking entrances at Mountain Way, North Ivy Road and PATH400
- Provide gentle, navigable grades accessible to seniors, families with strollers and people using mobility devices
- Deliver dedicated, kid- and pup-friendly creek access points
- Stabilize and revegetate sensitive watershed areas along Little Nancy Creek
- Improve stormwater management and reduce erosion
“We are excited to provide funding alongside our partners to help build out this innovative trail segment that expands upon the vision for Mountain Way Common,” said Andrew White, Park Pride’s Director of Grantmaking & Implementation.
For years, neighbors have created informal creekside routes for children and dogs to explore and splash in the water. The Creekside Connection Trail formalizes and enhances those well-loved paths — transforming them into safe, durable and environmentally responsible infrastructure accessible to visitors of all ages and abilities.
“Mountain Way Common has always been special to this community,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. “This investment allows us to honor that history while thoughtfully strengthening its connection to PATH400. Park Pride’s grant unlocks City bond funds and helps us deliver infrastructure the community has prioritized for years — reconnecting the park, restoring safe creek access for kids and dogs, and ensuring everyone can enjoy it.”
The project is the result of a longstanding public–private partnership among Park Pride, the City of Atlanta, Livable Buckhead, the Friends of Mountain Way Common and the North Buckhead Civic Association — a collaboration spanning more than 25 years of stewardship and advocacy.
As the foundational element of the updated master plan, the Creekside Connection Trail sets the stage for future woodland trails, gathering areas, habitat enhancements, and nature-based play features — strengthening Mountain Way Common as a connected, resilient greenspace for generations to come.
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About Livable Buckhead
Livable Buckhead is a nonprofit organization that strives to ensure the long-term viability and prosperity of the Buckhead community. The organization achieves its mission by working cooperatively with individuals, public entities and private businesses to integrate sustainable strategies. Livable Buckhead implements programs related to greenspace, recycling, energy efficiency, commute alternatives, arts and culture, real estate development and land use. For more information about Livable Buckhead and its programs, visit livablebuckhead.org.
About Park Pride
Through a community-led approach, Park Pride works with people, parks, and policy to strengthen local leadership and foster collaboration to improve how parks are planned, used, and cared for. Founded in 1989, Park Pride helps communities translate shared priorities into action — resulting in parks that are more welcoming, better connected, and more responsive to the neighborhoods they serve. Learn more about Park Pride at parkpride.org.
