Small Buckhead pocket park dedicated to honor former Atlanta civic activist Marie Newton Sims

To contact us Click HERE
In theuppermost western corner of Buckhead’s largest undeveloped land holding—now the16-acre property of Wells Fargo Bank—there is a small plot of land with a verylarge oak tree and a few boulders that was dedicated Nov. 18 as a park in honorcivic activist Marie Sims.

This corner of Kingsboro and Oak Valley roads near Lenox Square mall
has now been dedicated to honor civic activist Marie Sims. 

Unlikethe small, unobtrusive pocket park at the corner of Kingsboro and Oak Valleyroads, Marie Sims was a very big figure in fighting with city hall on issuesrelated to development and zoning and for protecting neighborhoods across thecity.
Thosewho knew say she was a giant influence—not only on city officials and citygovernment—but on those she met and tapped to work on behalf neighborhoodcauses and a better city of Atlanta.
MarieSims died nine years ago, but the dedication of the park proves she has notbeen forgotten.
One personSims touched and mentored was Sally Silver, who just Tuesday night conductedher last meeting as chair of Neighborhood Planning Unit-B and was instrumentalin arranging for the small park to honor Sims.

At present, the park consists of the huge oak tree, a few boulders and a
stone bench. But Sally Silver Tuesday got the NPU-B board to commit
to a $1,500 grant to help make improvements to the park. 

“Shelived in Pine Hills and helped write the city charter,” Silver recalled of Simsat Tuesday’s NPU-B meeting. “She was a pioneer at hounding the government to bebetter at every chance it can get,” Silver continued.
“WhenMarie said no, she said, ‘Hell No,’ and when she said yes, she screamed it fromthe rafters,” Silver stated. 
Silveroriginally worked with the Related Group out of Miami, which planned to developthe 16 acres that stretches north and west from the corner of Roxboro and E.Paces Ferry roads into a $2 billion, 3,800-unit residential community namedCityPlace. She just wanted a small place to honor Sims.
ButRelated Group lost the property back to Wachovia Bank, which now is WellsFargo. Silver approached Wells Fargo, which wrote a paper donating the land atthe corner for the Sims park.
Silverhas had a plaque made for the site, which she says has a 3,000-pound boulderand other boulders, along with the oak tree and a stone bench. But she askedthe NPU-B board Tuesday night to spend its annual $1,500 grand to enhance thepark in honor of Sims.

Sally Silver hold the brass plaque
she had made commemorating
the park in honor of Marie Sims
and her years of civic service. 

Theboard approved the grant unanimously. Now, there needs to be a design for theimprovements, the paperwork needs to be completed and it needs to get done.
But, inthe meantime, there was a small dedication ceremony for the park held on Nov.18, which was attended by members of Sims’ family, Dist. 7 Atlanta CityCouncilman Howard Shook, County Commissioner Robb Pitts and a number of Sims’former neighbors and friends.
A videowas made of the dedication ceremony by Molly Woo and Silver emailed copies ofit to interested parties today. To view the short video, go here.
AndreaBennett, who was voted in Tuesday night as the new chair of NPU-B for the nexttwo years, sent an email note to Silver today in which she said of the park, “That is awesome, Sally. I'm glad Marie has been honored. I actually stoppedby the park yesterday afternoon and enjoyed that big oak.”
RichardRauh, who represents NPU-B on APAB (theAtlanta Planning Advisory Board), which is sort parent organization for all ofthe NPUs citywide, also emailed Silver in response to seeing the video of thededication event. Rauh wrote:   “Theintensity of any conversation with Marie was invariably flattering because itmeant that she took you seriously.  Being taken seriously by Marie was ahigh compliment.
“Marietalked me into involvement with NPU-B, and her shadow still walks with me-- asit does with many of us-- whenever we find ourselves navigating that perplexingvenue of self-serving half truths that is our city hall,” Rauh continued.  “Thispark captures her perpetual optimism, contemplation and regenerative character. Perfect,” his email concluded.
As forthe plaque that is to be permanently placed at the park, it states:
“Inloving memory of Marie Newton Sims, October 20, 1932-November 28, 2003.Champion for good government and strong neighborhoods. An ordinary citizen thatdid extraordinary things.”