FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Council Communications
Atlanta City Hall
55 Trinity Ave. SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

March 25, 2025

Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta City Council Unveils Renaming Central Avenue and Westside Reservoir Park in Honor of Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin

WHO:   Mayor Andre Dickens
              Atlanta City Council

WHAT: Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin Central Avenue and Westside Reservoir Park renaming

WHEN: Thursday, March 27

                       Central Avenue renaming: 11 a.m.
                       Westside Reservoir Park renaming: 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Central Avenue renaming: corner of Central Avenue and 55 Trinity Avenue, SW
               Westside Reservoir Park renaming: 1660 Johnson Road, NW

BACKGROUND: Atlanta City Council joins Mayor Andre Dickens in unveiling the renaming of Central Avenue and Westside Reservoir Park after Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin, 58^th Mayor of the City of Atlanta, on Thursday, March 27. Central Avenue unveiling will begin at 11 a.m. at the corner of Central Avenue and 55 Trinity Avenue, SW. Westside Reservoir Park unveiling will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the entrance to the park, 1660 Johnson Road, NW.

Both street and park renaming are the result of the Commission to Determine an Appropriate Manner in Which to Honor Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin, which met during Summer 2024 to propose the best way to honor Atlanta’s first woman mayor. Meetings included collecting public comments both in-person and online. Renaming Central Avenue, SW and Westside Reservoir Park to “Shirley Clarke Franklin Boulevard” and “Shirley Clarke Franklin Park” were adopted by the Atlanta City Council on February 3, 2025.

Shirley Clarke Franklin became the City’s 58^th Mayor in 2001 and cemented her mark on Atlanta through programs and initiatives such as the “Clean Water Atlanta” initiative and Mayor’s Youth Program. She bought the 280-acre site that, under her vision, would later become Westside Park, began the process of establishing a permanent museum to Atlanta’s role in human and civil rights, and partnered with Atlanta Public Schools to guide thousands of graduating seniors to internships and a career development plan beyond high school.

About Atlanta City Council

The Atlanta City Council is the chief policy-making body for the City of Atlanta. It acts by considering and enacting all laws that govern the City. The Council also approves the operating and capital budgets for the City as recommended by the mayor, and it continually monitors revenues and expenditures for local government operations. The Atlanta City Council reviews and has the final say on many land-use and zoning matters. Major economic development projects for the City also fall under the council’s consideration.

The Council is comprised of 12 districts and three at-large posts. Council representatives include: Council President: Doug Shipman; District 1: Jason Winston; District 2: Amir Farokhi; District 3: Byron Amos; District 4: Jason S. Dozier; District 5: Liliana Bakhtiari; District 6: Alex Wan; District 7: Howard Shook; District 8: Mary Norwood; District 9: Dustin Hillis; District 10: Andrea L. Boone; District 11: Marci Collier Overstreet; District 12: Antonio Lewis; Post 1 At-Large: Michael Julian Bond; Post 2 At-Large: Matt Westmoreland; and Post 3 At-Large: Eshé Collins

To learn more about the Atlanta City Council, please visit http://citycouncil.atlantaga.gov/. For the latest updates, follow the Atlanta City Council on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter),  and Instagram.

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Office of Council Communications Contact: 

Zena Lewis
zolewis@atlantaga.gov
404-330-6309

Bill Doughty
wdoughty@atlantaga.gov
404-330-6056

Tiffanie Kelly
trkelly@atlantaga.gov
404-330-6014