“I’m Sally Flocks. I grew up in California and attended Stanford University and Yale. I moved to Atlanta in 1977 after getting married and worked on finishing my dissertation and completing my doctorate in history. Shortly after moving here, I was diagnosed with epilepsy and told to quit driving. For 30 of the 43 years, I’ve lived in Atlanta, walking, bicycling, and public transit have been my primary transportation modes.

In 1996 I launched PEDS, an advocacy group dedicated to making Atlanta safe and accessible to everyone who walks. While walking in Midtown and elsewhere in Atlanta, I frequently got trapped in intersections when I was trying to cross the street. My desire to teach motorists to stop for people in crosswalks motivated me to create PEDS. And my passion for making Atlanta a great place to walk inspired me to lead the non-profit for over two decades before retiring in September 2019.

I live close to Colony Square, and destinations there have made it a significant part of my life for decades, especially since I’ve been unable to drive. Shops, restaurants, and even my bank and dentist are located there. When I moved to Atlanta, I rented an apartment in Ansley Park. Seven years later, I built a house a few doors down the street. It was an ideal place within walking distance of the Arts Center MARTA station, the Woodruff Arts Center, and other places important to me.  I moved to a condo last year, just three blocks from Colony Square.

One of my fondest memories of Colony Square is the old ice-skating rink. I’m excited that North American Properties is bringing back such a fun feature. I’ve heard Mark Toro say “this is going to be an experiential development where people come to a great place and spend money.” Developers are doing a great job turning Colony Square around, and I’m excited to learn more about what lies ahead.

What matters most in encouraging people to walk more is the presence of other people and having destinations worth walking to. On both, Midtown is a big winner. I’m thrilled that the Midtown Alliance and others have brought high density, mixed-use developments to Midtown, and made walking a top priority.

What am I looking forward to most coming to Colony Square? I’m eager to see the Food Hall new green spaces, and what kind of events and activities will come along with them. I hope Colony Square will be more than a lunchtime destination for people who work nearby and that instead it will also attract people in the evenings and weekends and cater to people from throughout the region, as well as those who live or work in Midtown.

All in all, I want Colony Square to continue serving people who live or work in Midtown while offering new things that appeal to a wide range of people and creating a community where everybody is welcome.”

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