ROSWELL, Ga. — Those who enjoy the Roswell Area Park should know about an improvement project the city is starting there.
The $3.1 million project is designed to tackle long-standing problems with the pond, such as the failing embankment and aging infrastructure, as part of the city’s Capital Improvement Program.
The entire trail around the park will close next week so the contractor can start required erosion control for pond dewatering and install construction screening in the parking lot.
Work at the pond will include the replacement of old pipes and damaged retaining walls. The pond will also be dredged to increase stormwater storage capacity and improve its health, while native landscaping will be restored to support local wildlife.
“This project is part of our broader vision to ensure Roswell’s parks and natural spaces continue to serve our residents with beauty, safety, and sustainability,” said Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson.
The rehabilitation of the pond’s embankment is a key focus, as it has been leaking due to tree root infiltration. About 57 “volunteer” trees, which grew of their own accord, will be removed to restore the embankment’s function and safety.
The pond’s infrastructure, originally designed as a farm pond in the 1950s, has deteriorated over time. The project will replace failing corrugated metal pipes with reinforced concrete pipes and rebuild water outlet structures to improve water flow and detention capacity.
Dredging will remove accumulated sediment, enhancing the pond’s stormwater management capabilities and improving water quality. This will provide a healthier habitat for fish and other wildlife.
On the week of Oct. 6, the contractor is expected to start dewatering the pond and relocating wildlife, with an emphasis on the safe and humane relocation of fish from the pond.
The pond and surrounding trails will be closed to the public while the construction is taking place. Public access routes will be adjusted, and benches and memorials will be safely stored and reinstalled after construction.
The contractor is scheduled to begin dredging and embankment rehabilitation the week of Dec. 1, with active construction starting this winter.
The city expects the project to be wrapped up by fall of next year.
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