Along Chattahoochee River, park’s $9.5M renovation nears finish line

Josh Green

Thu, 05/01/2025 – 16:29

A Chattahoochee River greenspace project that aimed to refresh “Atlanta’s best kept secret” is set to go totally public soon.

Officials with Cumberland Community Improvement District and nonprofit One Cumberland have scheduled the official ribbon-cutting for the first phase of a project called “New Day Palisades” the morning of Saturday, June 7.

Public festivities at Paces Mill including educational exhibits and free refreshments are planned after the ceremony.

The project has created a 22-acre, riverside “tranquil greenspace” with pathways, shade structures, new restrooms, and other features from what was little more than a sloped surface parking lot before.

Overview of changes planned as part of the two-phase New Day Palisades project. New Day Palisades; via Cumberland CID

The full greenspace overhaul is expected to cost $15.8 million, and the June 7 event will also serve as a preview of phase two for attendees, according to Cumberland CID officials.

Another goal with phase one was to restore and rehabilitate the Paces Mill in the Palisades Unit, which is considered one of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area’s most popular sites and a top draw for Atlanta nature lovers.

Phase one built a new parking lot and landscape features to enhance access to the river, with a focus on visitor circulation and sustainability.

The more complex phase two—expected to cost $9.5 million—is scheduled to kick off in fall 2026. Plans tentatively call for a “distinct national park experience” with expanded river entry points, a new visitor information center, and more visitor circulation improvements for that phase.

Location of the $15.8 million project in relation to Cumberland, The Battery, and interstates 285 and 75. Google Maps

Pending funding, all New Day Palisades work is scheduled to wrap in spring 2027. All necessary construction documents were finalized in 2023.

Paces Mill was opened in 1978 as a natural respite from Atlanta’s urban growth, and today the park counts more than 270,000 visitors annually.

The area had seen very few improvements over the decades, as the need for adequate parking, environmental protection, improved facilities, and enhanced river access only continued to grow, project officials have said.

Below, find before/after images that show changes on tap for the full New Day Palisades project.

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