The Town Center Community, composed of the Town Center Community Improvement District (CID) and its nonprofit partner, the Town Center Community Alliance, distributed the following announcement of a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the Aviation Park project:
Kennesaw, GA – June 28, 2023 – Town Center Community hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of educational and historical upgrades to Aviation Park. Developed in partnership with Kennesaw State University’s Department of Museums, Archives and Rare Books, the final installation includes four educational exhibits equipped with QR codes to provide informational panels, photographs, oral histories and interactive elements that engage visitors in the history and science of aviation.
“These upgrades have been a long time coming,” said Jennifer Hogan, director of community for Town Center CID. “From fundraising to exhibit development to overcoming the design challenges of mounting a 1964 Musketeer A23 Beechcraft Airplane on a pole 16 feet above the ground, we have invested a lot of time and effort in this park. Seeing everything completed, I can say that it was worth the wait. Everyone should experience this park.”
The four exhibits include:
Mechanics in Motion
This exhibit demystifies the science of flight, delivering STEM content that engages visitors in history, physical education and art.
Wheels to Wings
With a focus on aviation history both in Cobb County and abroad, this installation begins with the role of bicycles in the development of flight and explores stories of local farmers, women, politicians, investors and scientists who moved the local aviation industry forward.
What Happens Up There: From Taxi to Landing
This exhibit offers a look inside the cockpit examining the visual and auditory experience of flight from the pilot’s perspective. It also provides a step-by-step journey through the flight structure.
Lessons in Liftoff
Through a look at each of the roles that contribute to liftoff, this exhibit explores the responsibilities of plots, mechanics, emergency personnel and air traffic controllers.
The corresponding Aviation Park Teacher Packet, available on the Town Center Community website, includes lessons and activities to support onsite and offsite learning. It outlines the K-5 Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) and Next Generation Science Standards and provides opportunities for pre-trip and follow-up instruction.
Aviation Park is a Cobb County-owned public park. No special permission or coordination is needed to arrange a field trip to the park. Additional information is available online at towncentercid.com/aviationparkfieldtrip.
About the Town Center Community Improvement District
The Town Center Community Improvement District is a self-taxing district that had over 275 commercial property owners as of its 2020 annual report. TCCID is the second-largest CID in Cobb, after the Cumberland Community Improvement District.
The district is centered around the Town Center at Cobb shopping mall, and includes Kennesaw State University and its surrounding area.
Its projects include the multi-phase South Barrett Reliever, and corridor studies for Chastain Road and Bells Ferry Road. The TCCID also sponsors a bike share program, and was instrumental in the development of Aviation Park.
The Town Center Community Improvement District recently celebrated its 25th year birthday.
The “placemaking” partner of the TCCID is the Town Center Community Alliance, a 501(c)(3)
The Town Center Community Alliance is describe in promotional materials as follows:
Established in 2015, the Town Center Community Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on bringing quality-of-life improvements and programs to the Town Center Community. The Alliance is run by a board of directors and relies on donations from the public, community partners, corporate sponsors, and the Town Center CID to fully fund and develop projects and programs. From public art and aesthetic fixtures to small parks and bikeshare, the Alliance helps attract businesses and residents to the area, boost economic development and shape a sense of community.
