Groveway Community Park Dedication Set For July 29 In Roswell

ROSWELL, GA -- The Roswell Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Department will dedicate the newly renamed Groveway Community Park at 160 Dobbs Drive on Saturday.

The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. July 29, and all members of the public are invited to attend the event.

Previously called Waller Park Extension, the park’s name was changed to eliminate confusion between it and Waller Park, which is located at 250 Oak Street. While the names of the parks were similar, the two parks (which occupied adjacent parkland) had separate entrances off different roads. The similarities in the names created confusion for residents and public safety officials over the years.

The new name — Groveway Community Park — was chosen to honor Roswell’s Groveway Community, the earliest African-American neighborhood in Roswell, and one to which many present-day residents can trace their roots for generations. The name was initially proposed by the Roswell Recreation Commission and later chosen by a majority of community respondents in a public survey in fall 2016.

“The Groveway Community has played a vital role in the history of the city of Roswell, initiating community dialogue, addressing disparities, establishing support services and resources, and improving the welfare of the community and its members,” said Jeff Pruitt, interim director of the Recreation, Parks, Historic, and Cultural Affairs Department. “Renaming the park after this incredible part of our community, is a small way in which the city of Roswell can recognize the years of dedication and service that they have devoted to the neighborhoods within.”

Groveway Community Park features picnic areas, a playground, and soccer and softball fields. Most notably, the park houses the Roswell Rotary Dream Field, a synthetic turf field that allows wheelchairs and walkers to move freely, giving children and young adults with developmental an physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in recreation and enrichment activities.

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