Former Atlanta mayor honored with street and park renaming

The Atlanta City Council has voted to rename two prominent locations in honor of former Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin, celebrating her impactful contributions to the city’s growth and progress.

Central Avenue, stretching from Decatur Street SE to Pryor Street SW, will now be known as Shirley Clarke Franklin Boulevard. Additionally, the city’s largest green space, Westside Reservoir Park, has been renamed Shirley Clarke Franklin Park.

Franklin served as mayor from 2002 to 2010, becoming the first Black woman to lead a major southern city. Her leadership left a lasting legacy, with key achievements in infrastructure, affordable housing and park development.

– Rehgan Smith, 360 Media, Inc.