MIC’s Parks Committee is dedicated to advocating for the improvement and promotion of parks, cultural amenities, recreational resources, and greenspace in our community and supports the work of the Cobb County’s Parks Department. We have athletic fields, the Silver Comet Trail, passive nature parks, an arts center, community centers, an amphitheater, and other county-owned property not yet open to the public. Mableton is rich with these remarkable assets that are vital to expanding the quality of life in our community.
Chattahoochee RiverLands Greenway Trail
Riverlands Greenway Trail – One of the Atlanta Region’s greatest natural resources is beginning to draw more attention for its enormous potential to connect people and communities in the region. The Chattahoochee RiverLands Greenway Trail project is a grand vision for a multi-use recreational and educational resource trail along a 100-mile strip of the Chattahoochee River, from Buford Dam on Lake Lanier to Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Coweta County. The trail would provide various recreational and educational opportunities for walkers, cyclists, as well as nooks for people to socialize or learn about the history and ecology of the river. This project is being managed by a joint Project Management Team (PMT) consisting of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), the Trust for Public Land, Cobb County Government, the City of Atlanta, and other municipalities in the Atlanta Metro area. The project was designed in collaboration with the Chattahoochee Working Group (CWG), a collection of selected residents, political officials, and local organizations, including the Mableton Improvement Coalition (MIC).
Mableton/Smyrna Greenway Pilot Site – The Mableton/Smyrna segment of the proposed greenway has been selected as the site of the first phase of the greenway trail. This segment of the trail would run along the river parallel to Discovery Park at the River Line, which is located on Discovery Boulevard. It would run from trailhead at Mableton Parkway, cross Veterans Memorial Highway up through Riverview Landing. The project recently received a $9 million gift from the Robert Woodruff Foundation. This additional funding gets the project closer to becoming a reality.
The following videos and maps are available to learn more about this transformational project:
Cobb County Commission Chairwoman, Lisa Cupid
(you may fast forward to 5-minute mark).
Chattahoochee Riverlands website
Project video
Mableton/Smyrna Segment Maps
Trail Renderings
News Reports
Discovery Park
6653 Discovery Boulevard, Mableton, GA 30126 map
Heritage Park
60 Fontaine Road, Mableton, GA 30126 map
With the main parking lot at the corner of Fontaine and Nickajack Roads, Heritage Park is a natural habitat-focused park offering Outdoor Nature programs with a Nature Education Building onsite. Its wooded, unpaved trails connect with the Silver Comet Trail, meandering along Nickajack Creek. From the main lot to the old mill is 1.4 miles (2.8 round trip), and can be used to connect with the Concord Covered Bridge. Dog-walking is allowed (on-leash only). Amenities include: Picnic tables (covered), Restrooms, Covered Pavilions, Boardwalk/wetlands observation area, Historic cemetery and old mill building, Bird boxes & lookouts (including waterfalls). There is not much bicycle traffic. It’s a good idea to use insect repellent, and avoid trails just after rain, as the unpaved trails can become muddy, and some of the terrain is a bit rough (tree roots, rocks). Join members of the Georgia Native Plant Society (GNPS) the second Saturday, 10am-12pm, each month for activities to learn more about native plant species in the park and help promote their survival while working to eliminate invasive species which typically crowd out the natives. For more information about GNPS, click here or contact Dave McDaniel. For more information about the park, click here.
Lions Park
620 Lions Club Drive, Mableton, GA 30126 map
Mostly known for its baseball fields, Lions Park is also home to the South Cobb Community Center, used often for events, voting poll, and various meetings (capacity: 300). The park was created and managed by the Lions Club many years ago, then was transferred to Cobb County. Amenities include: Baseball fields, restrooms and concession building, 1 small and one large picnic pavilion, batting cages, playground and ample parking.
For further information, including how to register for sports leagues or field reservations, click here.
Nickajack Park
5500 Nickajack Park Road SE, Mableton, GA 30126 map
Nestled downhill off Oakdale Road, not far from the Oakdale/Buckner Roads intersection, Nickajack Park is a small quiet park with the many amenities. Though there is minimal signage preceding the park from Oakdale or Nickajack Roads, electronic navigation can lead you there, and there is ample parking. You’ll find Basketball goals/courts, Baseball/softball fields, Football field, Multi-purpose court, 4 Tennis courts, Playground, 2 Covered Pavilions, Batting cage, and Concessions Stand. Adult Softball and Flag Football programs are also offered. For detailed information, click here.
Thompson Park
Thompson Park located at 555 Nickajack Road, Mableton is a small, forested getaway area offering a quiet space for residents to enjoy nature, including the sound of a large water fountain nearby.
The Thompson Park Community Center is available for rental for events/parties/meetings.
Amenities include a pavilion with a picnic table, a small lake with ducks and geese, a children’s playground and catch ‘n release fishing.
For more information on Thompson Park, as well as other Cobb County Parks, click HERE.
Mableton Town Square
This “pocket park”, nestled on Church Street in the center of the original downtown Mableton, in front of Mableton Elementary School, is one of our newest parks – the Mableton Town Square. Created as a part of a long-range master plan for Mableton, aimed at re-imagining Mableton’s historic center, this one-acre space is a great neighborhood amenity.
The new playground was installed in the fall of 2020, and neighborhood kids enjoy it every day. The official Ribbon Cutting ceremony will be April 21st at 2:30 pm. Community sponsors have stepped up to augment Cobb County’s funding for Benches, Tables, Water Fountains and Waste Bins, but sponsorships are still available. Here is a map of how the Square will look when completed. The park is created as a “passive park” for casual, unstructured activity. There are wide sidewalks to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity to the community, on-street parking, and street lights for nighttime use.
This park was created at MIC’s request, when the roadwork resulted in this one-acre green space in the heart of historic Mableton. Once the property was turned over the the Parks Department, MIC worked with them to invite the community to the “Imagine the Mableton Square” event, where residents contributed their ideas for the park. The master plan for this park has received a 2018 GPTQ award for Context Sensitive Design, and an Honor Award at ACEC GA Engineering Excellence Awards in 2018. It is an outgrowth of the “Lifelong Mableton Project” via through the Atlanta Regional Commission, as well as a joint project by Cobb County’s Community Development, PARKS and Transportation departments funded by 2011 SPLOST.
For further information regarding Mableton area parks, visit the Cobb PARKS website. Read the flyer for information about how you can get involved. Contact Demetrius Lockett, MIC Parks Committee Chair for more information.