We love you, Upper Westside! This holiday season we’re thankful for each of our neighborhoods, which are home to unique, vibrant, and growing communities. In the spirit of gratitude, we’re spotlighting just a few Upper Westside hidden greenspace gems where you can get out and enjoy some fresh air this holiday season.

Blandtown | Ellsworth & Huff Pocket Park

Located on the corner of Ellsworth & Huff is the Blandtown Pocket Park. Don’t let its name fool you. As one of the five neighborhoods in the Upper Westside CID, Blandtown comes with a rich history. Unlike many places in Atlanta named for White landowners and civic leaders (i.e. Huff and Ellsworth), Blandtown is named for an African American landowner, Felix Bland, an enslaved laborer who was freed by the U.S. Civil War. He inherited this land and later sold it, but his surname remained a legacy to his family. It became home to many African American families and has been through many rezonings and expansions since the late 1900s. 

Along with the rest of the Upper Westside, Blandtown is now experiencing a resurgence with new apartments, condos, new single-family homes, and parks such as this one returning to Blandtown. 

Learn more about this neighborhood’s history before your adventure to the park and enjoy the legacy of the Bland family!

Underwood Hills  | Underwood Hills Park

Located in Underwood Hills, Underwood Hills Park is a lush neighborhood park and nature preserve. This multi-tiered park offers tennis and basketball courts, a playground upgraded in 2021, and even a pavilion for picnicking. Dedicated neighborhood residents have worked hard to remove invasives like kudzu and privet both by hand and with the help of a few adorable goats! 

Berkeley Park | The Waterworks Greenspace

Located in Berkeley Park, the Waterworks Greenspace playscape teaches visitors how water from the Chattahoochee River becomes clean drinking water in our faucets! The complicated water treatment process is explained through unique playscape elements and easy to understand signage. Did you know there are also hammock stands shaded by the old growth oaks?

Marietta Street Artery | Howell Junction Pocket Park

The Howell Junction Pocket Park used to be nothing more than a vacant dumping site at the intersection of West Marietta St and Brady Ave. In 2021, with a City grant, private contributions, and CID dollars this sliver was reimagined to include a custom circular planter bench, bike racks, and a bike tune-up station. Thirteen new trees were planted including magnolias, serviceberries, nuttall oaks, and black gums.



Channing Valley | Channing Valley Park
This neighborhood’s name speaks to its rolling hills. Channing Valley Park is aptly tucked in a lush green valley, alongside a quiet creek. This little park is the heart of the neighborhood, and you’ll find kids of all ages climbing on their newly upgraded playground or kicking around a soccer ball in the adjacent field.



Howell Station | Knight Park
Howell Station was established in 1893 and has earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. This neighborhood is dotted with beautifully maintained bungalows but its crown jewel is Knight Park. Since 2017, persevering residents have been working hand in hand with Park Pride to bring incredible improvements to Knight Park which highlight its history but bring-in modern day amenities. 


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