DECATUR, Ga. — Community members are pushing back against a new early childhood learning center coming to Downtown Decatur. It’s the location of the center that has them concerned.

The greenspace along W Trinity Place is part of Doris Sims Johnson’s history.

“This land is where many of the families that I grew up with lived,” Sims Johnson said. 

Apartments used to sit on the land, as part of the historic African-American Beacon Hill community.

It’s history Sims Johnson said is at risk if the school district builds a new early childhood learning center there. Community members who have recently formed a grassroots coalition came together Monday night to discuss their concern.

“It’s not needed, we really wanna keep this greenspace,” Sims Johnson said.

The district said more high quality childcare is needed, especially at that location due to its proximity to the Decatur Housing Authority.

 Sims Johnson questions where Decatur Day will be if the center is built. The day celebrates the legacy of the historic Black community. She said the City offered up that space two years ago.

“When we came here for Decatur Day in ’23 it was the greatest feeling,” Sims Johnson said.

 Groups such as Downtown Decatur Neighbors are also concerned.

“It’s just a great, a great space,” Kowalski said.

Mary Kowalski is the Planning Committee Chair of Downtown Decatur Neighbors. She said open space like the one they’re hoping to save is rare in the area.

“This is the only one that I can think of that’s just kind of open, it’s also big,” Kowalski said.

A spokesperson for City Schools of Decatur said this has been discussed at previous meetings, and sent 11Alive News the following statement:

“The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education appreciates community engagement in the discussion on the new Early Childhood Learning Center. Topics such as the project timeline and greenspace have been discussed at previous board meetings and board community meetings. 
Now that the vote on the funding has been approved and plans are moving forward, the school board is committed to maintaining a relationship with stakeholders in the Beacon Hill community and looks forward to ongoing engagement.”

Sims Johnson hopes the grassroots coalition’s fight can pause the project.

“The roots are not only the trees, but the people, the human roots that are fitted right here on this land,” Sims Johnson said.

A school district spokesperson said the final vote on approval of funding from the city’s public facilities authority was last week. Construction is set to begin in December.