Social group seeks to bring positive changes to downtown Austell

A new community group, Create Austell, is seeking to bring about positive changes and improve the community of Austell. The organization held their inaugural meeting recently at Austell Cowork on Broad Street.

In bringing about the changes they seek, the organization plans to hold discussions with neighbors to get to know each other, share ideas and issues and advocate for solutions to those issues with the city government. 

About two dozen people gathered to discuss what they wanted the organization to be and do. The founders and organizers of the group are real estate broker Derek Caffe and some of his friends and neighbors who wanted to see a more connected community in Austell that could advocate for development downtown.

Caffe said, “It’s to be social and to get around projects that will make our downtown more hip, more cool and more of a place that’s in our image than what we found. Because we found good bones, but it’s going to take a bit of love to get it to where we want it.”

Because some citizens do not attend council meetings and are not aware of decisions being made to the community by the government, organizers say they want to serve as a streamline source for information on ongoing and planned city projects to connect the community to their government.

During the meeting, attendees’ shared their desires for the community including a youth recreation center, better dining, increased bike lanes, and reduced train noise when asked to answer the question: “Wouldn’t it be great if Austell…”

In attendance at the meeting were Council Women Sandra Leverette and Valerie Anderson, as well as Director of Community Affairs Darrell Weaver. Each offered the group positive feedback on their desire to work on behalf of the community.

Create Austell’s next meeting will be in February. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page.