Even though the weather was chilly last Friday, the sun was shining and the skies were blue as officials and community members began to move dirt on the Eastside Trail Gateway. An enthusiastic crowd of about 150 people turned out to see the first shovels go into the ground.

When completed, the Gateway path will be an ADA-accessible trail linking the Eastside Trail with Historic Fourth Ward Park. Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner of District 6 opened the groundbreaking ceremony and introduced Mayor Kasim Reed.

The groundbreaking is an exciting step in moving construction forward. When the Gateway is completed late this summer, trail users will have easy access from the trail to the park and back. Both the Eastside Trail and Historic Fourth Ward Park have been successful developments for this part of Atlanta, generating an impressive return on investment and spurring the construction of 1,000 new housing units in the immediate area.

See more photos and get more information on the Eastside Trail Gateway on the website, and stay tuned for more updates on progress on the Atlanta BeltLine as it happens!