The Beltline exists as it does today due to a lot of work behind the scenes, specifically in the political world. The Eastside Trail is the first developed part of the Beltline, and it is no small feat. This is not just because of construction, but because of all the work that was put in and continues to be demonstrated by many different individuals.

In the beginning, there were many different agencies and groups that got together to draft out the Beltline and make sure it included all the things the community found important, such as affordable housing, an arboretum, and transit. Today, many of these groups still exist and are pushing hard for policies to pass that reflect the way Atlantans want to live. One of the ways the Beltline is making its concerns known is on the ballot November 8th. There is a policy for providing funding to the Beltline so it can finish buying the land it needs to finish the project, and also for the transit that should be put on the Beltline.

However, some people are very unhappy with the way the Beltline is turning out. Many are concerned about issues such as gentrification and transit, worries that were present at the inception of the Beltline. The Beltline, because it has been so successful on the Eastside Trail, has raised the value of the areas surrounding it, and neighborhoods that are now where the Beltline will go in the future are very apprehensive about what will happen to pricing and the culture of their communities once the Beltline comes. Others are miffed about transit being built along the Beltline, as they believe the money for transit should go to transportation from the city to the suburbs, where they think it is more needed due to traffic. These issues might affect how people will vote on the ballot about this issue.

The Beltline is far from completed, but the people of Atlanta have been invested from the beginning, and  are continuing to make their voice heard. As long as all parties continue to work together toward the common goal, the Beltline should really be a place we want to live.

I found this sign quite curious. It is new, but it refers to an idea that existed on the Beltline for a while, the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum. This particular sign speaks of protecting eastern Hemlocks. What is so important about them I am not sure. But they are important enough to make a sign about. You can see my shadow in the picture, I was trying to get out of the way so the sign could be seen.

While eating lunch in the Ponce City Market with the charming Sam for company, I noticed the latches on practically all the windows. I know the market used to be a distribution center, but it surprised me and made me wonder why they would have windows that could open like that, let alone at all. Perhaps it was the style of the time, but I am not sure what the reason behind it would be. In my mind, I would think you would not want the windows to open, in case the items being moved around were affected by weather. However, as Sam pointed out to me, maybe the windows were opened in case workers got hot. I found this small detail quite charming, as it really alluded to what the Ponce City Market was before, at least for me.

I have seen this happen a couple times, and I find it a great example of the greater community the Beltline has helped to foster. This is a stand someone came and set up on the Beltline to promote whatever business they had. I think this is a great way to get people to know about whatever products or services one is offering, as people are not likely to get angry at vendors on the Beltline, I think. I believe this is because the atmosphere of the Beltline is one that is very casual and friendly, not where people are in a rush to get somewhere. If you want to avoid them, you can, there is not a whole lot pressure to talk to these promoters if one does not want to.

Speaking of things rapidly changing, already there is a new sculpture under the bridge on the Eastside Trail. I was there not too long ago, and I saw the previous picture being taken apart. Now I see an entirely new sculpture, and I am amazed. This rapid process urged me to look closer at what goes into the process of creating one of these pieces of art. It is made from what looks like spray painted trash, things you might find in a junkyard. As you can see, some random pieces are still lying around in front of the sculpture, but were pushed to the side by the time I walked back.

This is a picture of the Eastside Trail near the Krog Street Market. This is where the Beltline is going to continue through the Old Fourth Ward area. When I saw it the other day, I was surprised by how much they have already cleared in such a short time. For class we went about a month ago, and the path had been overgrown with grass and was covered in gravel. Now it can be seen that it has all been cleared away and only the dirt is visible. I’m not sure why they did that, maybe they plan to pave this part of the trail as well. I’m not sure when this part of the trail is scheduled for completion, but it seems there is always something happening on the Beltline, construction wise. It’s very exciting and a bit awe inspiring how quickly things can change once someone starts doing something and is committed to the idea.