One of the best things about Peachtree City is its green spaces. These preserved plots of land offer safe, accessible areas for those looking to gather with friends and family, to do an outdoor activity, or to take a break from modern life and connect with nature.
One of the crown jewels of Peachtree City’s green space has been the Flat Creek Nature Area Boardwalk. Located behind the Frederick Brown Amphitheater, this 1,200-foot boardwalk provides an easy way to experience Flat Creek’s tranquil setting.
A walk offers visitors opportunities to see herons, beavers, and other animals we may not see everyday. Additionally, the boardwalk provides up-close views of vegetation native to a forested wetland ranging from red maples and chestnut oaks to smaller plants like turtlehead ferns and cardinal flowers.
Unfortunately, the boardwalk has not been available for use since the beginning of 2023. According to the city, some structurally-weak trees could fall on boardwalk visitors at any given time and need to be removed. This precaution is warranted — two trees have already fallen and destroyed separate parts of the boardwalk.
The city has a plan to remove the trees that pose a danger and restore the boardwalk. The price tag for this fix comes out to $200,000, which is a lot of money. Fortunately, the city has unspent funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that can cover the project’s full cost. There is no need to tap into funds generated by local taxes and fees.
As The Citizen has previously noted, Mayor Kim Learnard is currently the only elected official in favor of fully restoring the boardwalk. Councilmen King and Prebor are in favor of only providing a short boardwalk from the paved path. Councilmen Holland and Destadio favor significantly shortening the boardwalk. This combined opposition would eliminate what Steve Brown referred to as “one of the jewels of our municipality” in a recent letter to The Citizen.
The city has provided an easy way for us citizens to let leadership know we want to preserve our green space amenities. A survey is now live on the city’s website through July 16th where residents can voice their support and contribute ideas that will shape the boardwalk’s future. It is crucial that we make our voices heard and actively participate in the decision-making process. The survey can be accessed here:
I encourage all community members who care about our green spaces to complete the survey before it closes. Restoring the boardwalk to its previous state will allow us to better enjoy our natural amenities, promote a vibrant community, and ensure future residents and visitors can fully experience the Flat Creek Nature Area.
Kenneth Hamner
Peachtree City, Ga.
The reduction or illumination of the boardwalk would be a travesty. Also, the elimination of every tree that could possibly fall on the boardwalk would turn it into what amounts to an interstate highway and nobody wants to walk along that. Consult an arborist as to which trees are at high risk of falling on the nature trail, and then make the repairs needed to allow citizens to enjoy nature.