City of Brookhaven and Explore Brookhaven Win Significant State Tourism and Recreation Award

BROOKHAVEN, GEORGIA—February 2, 2024— The City of Brookhaven and Explore Brookhaven have been selected as winner of the 2024 Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus’ Paul Nelson Award for Outdoor Recreation and Preservation. The award was presented at the Association’s annual meeting in Cartersville on January 30, 2024. Explore Brookhaven submitted the nomination on behalf of the City of Brookhaven’s work to preserve and improve Historic Lynwood Park, established in the early 1930’s and the first predominantly Black subdivision in DeKalb County.

To qualify, Paul Nelson Award Nominees demonstrate leadership, creativity, initiative, innovation, customer service and partnership in sustaining and improving the recreational resources of the state. Brookhaven’s Historic Lynwood Park joins such notable past award recipients as Whitewater Columbus, Atlanta’s PATH Foundation and Macon’s Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative.

On accepting the award, President and CEO Renée Areng of Explore Brookhaven noted, “We are honored to accept the award for this collaborative effort to elevate the appeal of Lynwood Park as a destination for residents and visitors. The City of Brookhaven worked with historic preservation organizations like the Lynnwood Trailblazers to respectfully uncover the history of the community and make major investments in park improvements, from the recreation fields, pavilions and pool area to parking and historic markers and displays.”

Brookhaven Mayor John Park added, “The City, the Lynwood Park community and Explore Brookhaven have worked diligently and collaboratively on this effort. This award is the recognition of all of the hard work this team has invested into Lynwood Park which memorialized the historic transformation of the area and its people.”

The story behind the award: The City of Brookhaven issued its first historic designation to the park and its community in 2020. In 1968, students of the school, known as the Lynwood Trailblazers, bravely entered the previously segregated DeKalb County School System. The City of Brookhaven worked in conjunction with Lynwood community members and Trailblazers to determine areas of the park that could be improved without disturbing the historical significance of the community.

In 2023 Brookhaven continued to make strides to preserve and improve the park. Monument gateway markers were installed at the Lynwood Park community entrance at 3360 Osborne Road and Lynwood Park-inspired crosswalk art by Lynwood artist Turiya Clark at the same intersection. Major improvements included a new pool house, a splash pad with a zero-depth area, a lap pool, two new pavilions, additional parking infrastructure and a new synthetic turf field striped for youth soccer, baseball and softball.

In September 2023, Brookhaven unveiled the bronze historic recognition plaque and a historic showcase with memorabilia, along with naming dedications of the Columbus Jones Gymnasium, Lynwood Park Trail Blazers Community Room, and the dedication of the synthetic turf field in memory of a longtime community member Emmanual Wallace. (Source: Historic Lynwood Park unveils final transformation | Brookhaven Georgia (brookhavenga.gov))

About
Explore Brookhaven is a nonprofit, 501(c)6 organization, contracted by the City of Brookhaven, Georgia. Explore Brookhaven provides professional tourism leadership and expertise for the Brookhaven destination. Explore Brookhaven works with all members of the community to enhance the image, awareness and magnetism of the city of Brookhaven. Brookhaven officially became a city in 2012 followed by Explore Brookhaven’s inception in 2018. www.ExploreBrookhaven.com

The Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus’ Paul Nelson Award for Outdoor Recreation and Preservation was established in 2013 to honor Paul Nelson. Paul had a passion for Georgia’s state parks and devoted his professional life to sustaining and improving the state’s natural resources. He spent most of his career working for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, where he last served as assistant director of its parks, recreation, and historic sites division. Brookhaven’s Historic Lynwood Park joins such notable past recipients as Whitewater Columbus, Georgia, Atlanta’s The PATH Foundation and Macon’s the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative.

Media Contacts
Renée Areng, President & CEO
Certified Destination Management Executive
Explore Brookhaven
Renee@ExploreBrookhaven.com
678-879-4575

Lizbeth Rangel, Marketing Manager
Explore Brookhaven
Lizbeth@ExploreBrookhaven.com
678-879-4574