Major upgrades planned for Hairston Park

Major upgrades including a new playground, gazebo and park benches are planned at Hairston Park in central DeKalb County.

The DeKalb Board of Commissioners voted unanimously May 23 to spend $142,000 of park bond money on the improvements.

The 33-acre park, located along South Hairston Road southwest of Stone Mountain, needs more amenities to attract thousands of families who live nearby, said Jan Costello, president of the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation, which requested the park funding.

The upgrades also include water fountains, picnic tables, grills, shrubs and dog park fencing.

Construction is planned to begin this year and continue in 2018.

UPCOMING

Rain Barrel Workshop by Keep DeKalb Beautiful. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. $10. Mason Mill Park, 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur. The session will use kits and recycled barrels, and participants will take home a completed project to harvest roof runoff, which can be used to irrigate landscape plants or gardens. Only 1 inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof provides 623 gallons of water. Register: Keep DeKalb Beautiful at 404-298-4080. DeKalbWatershed. com, DeKalbCountyGa.gov/beautification/Keep-DeKalb-Beautiful.

Dunwoody’s Family Fitness Day. June 10. Pernoshal Park, 4575 North Shallowford Road, Dunwoody. The city is following the National Recreation and Park Association calendar that celebrates Family Fitness Day on the second Saturday in June and recommends that all families “get out” to their local parks and “get healthy.” Rachel.Waldron@ DunwoodyGa.gov.

1k/Fun Run at 7:30 a.m. and a 5k run/walk at 8 a.m. (Active. com.)

Post-run festival and family activities, including free workout classes and clinics, a “Kids Korner,” giveaways and food trucks.

Local vendors will include UFC Gym, CycleBar Dunwoody, Emory, Dunwoody Convention + Visitors Bureau and Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta with food trucks.

A bocce tournament at Georgetown Park, 4400 Dunwoody Park, Dunwoody a short walk from Pernoshal Park.

A nature hike at the Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody.