From a notice from the Frazer Center:
The Frazer Center will begin locking the gate that provides access to Ridgewood Rd. effective October 1, 2012. The gate will be closed Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from 6:30 pm-7:00 am, and from 6:30 pm on Friday-7:00 am Monday. Over the next few weeks, we will install a pedestrian gate and will provide you with information as to how you can access it during the hours the main gate is closed. Access will still be available evenings from South Ponce de Leon Ave. NE.
Update:
We had several questions from neighborhood residents that I forwarded to the FC. Answers below:
1) “We walked down there this weekend per normal and gate was closed and a sign said “no pedestrian traffic”. This note seems to imply that while the gate is closed, pedestrians are still welcome. Can you clarify? ”
Basically, if pedestrians are welcome, why is there a No Pedestrians sign, or was this just a one time thing?
FC response: When someone rents the Gardens for a special event, we essentially close the property to the general public. That has been our practice for quite some time now. We have signs that we put out to that effect but they are usually placed down by the gardens. Perhaps one of the site managers accidently placed the sign up by the back gate. At this time, pedestrians are still welcome on our property unless it is closed for a private event.
2) “If this is related to traffic issues, why is the gate only being closed when the Frazer Center is closed when there is almost no traffic?”
FC response: As part of the negotiations with the neighborhood and the county, we were asked to close the gates in the evenings and during weekends —times when we have events—to prevent folks from driving out into the neighborhood. So, our decision to close the gates at that time are in response to that request. Issues related to day time traffic are still being negotiated.
The full press statement from the FC is below:
In our efforts to respond to concerns about traffic on Ridgewood and Marlbrook, the Frazer Center will begin locking the gate that provides access to Ridgewood Rd. effective October 1, 2012. The gate will be closed Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from 6:30 pm-7:00 am, and from 6:30 pm on Friday-7:00 am Monday. Over the next few weeks, we will install a pedestrian gate and will provide you with information as to how you can access it during the hours the main gate is closed. Access will still be available evenings from South Ponce de Leon Ave. NE. We regret the inconvenience this may cause many who have enjoyed the easy access to the forest, but we believe this step is necessary if we are to work towards reconciliation with those who have expressed these concerns as a demonstration of our commitment to address safety concerns.
Also, if you’re interested:
Fron the FC: Our annual Fall Festival will be held in the Cator Woolford Gardens on Sunday afternoon, October 28th 2:00-6:00 pm. This is one of our two official fundraising events for 2012, and we will have amplified music for the children and their families during the event. All of our neighbors are invited to join us for a fun afternoon.