By Paul Bolster
District One Council Member Jason Winston told The Porch Press the City of Atlanta is interested in acquiring Red’s Farm to preserve open space in Ormewood Park. Winston said the city, Red’s family, and the Conservation Fund are in active negotiations regarding the acquisition. He says, “The city’s intention is to honor Red’s legacy.”
The plan calls for the Conservation Fund, an organization committed to using philanthropic funds to preserve environmentally sensitive land, acquire the property, place an environmental easement on it, and then sell it to the city. Private conservation groups can usually move faster than a government entity and are accustomed to playing an intermediate role in such transactions. Government entities usually take longer to appropriate funds for the acquisition. A plan like this was used by the city to acquire and preserve a much larger property known as Lake Charlotte.
Winston said not all the details have been worked out, but he is hopeful. All the parties are waiting for the result of professional appraisals. The terms of the easement which will be in place well beyond most of our lifetimes are still part of the negotiation process. Winston, who is actively promoting the plan, has the support of the City Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, and Mayor Dickens’ staff is actively engaged in the negotiations.
