Lockridge Forest: A Woodland Filled with Friends

A neighborhood like Lockridge Forest really does feel enchanted thanks to the neighbors and community members. With over 450 homes and a nine-acre Swimming & Tennis Club, some residents have enjoyed the perks of living this community for almost 50 years.

Phil Sadd explained how it felt when he first moved to Lockridge Forest Community in 1991. “It really was like living in a forest — it still is.”

Animals such as deer, owls, beavers, hawks and cranes (oh, my!) can still be spotted in your own backyard if you hail from this area of Peachtree Corners. But even more than the scenery, Sadd said he loves the sense of community. That’s why he became a City Councilmember in 2012, just after the city was incorporated.

Working together to improve

Lockridge Forest sits right on the Dunwoody and Gwinnett county lines, and it’s centrally located to over 50 businesses, schools, churches and temples. “Being right at the edge, I was worried we wouldn’t get as much attention, so I wanted to make sure this community had a voice,” Sadd explained. “I wanted to make an impact.”

And he did. When he first moved into Lockridge Forest, there were no sidewalks, curbs or gutters. Mothers with strollers or families with small children would walk on dirt paths. Sadd has spent years setting up and maintaining amenities along Spalding Drive and Winters Chapel Road.

“The City Council has been extremely helpful with this and supported us through this process,” he said, adding that they even had the opportunity to partner with the City of Dunwoody, because a portion of Winters Chapel Road rests in their territory. “Dunwoody has been a great government partner to work with over the years,” he added.

When Sadd isn’t working on improving the community, he is enjoying the perks of living there. It’s the closest neighborhood in Peachtree Corners to I-285, so many residents enjoy shorter commutes. Some of the neighbors are so close, they even vacation together! Not to mention the many events put on by the Civic Association at the Swimming & Tennis Club, such as annual Easter Egg Hunts and Halloween Parades, as well as senior lunches, pig roasts and chili cookoffs.

Residents like Ron Walsh see to it that Lockridge Forest remains a desirable location to live or even staycation. “When we first moved to Peachtree Corners, my friends told me: You’re moving to the boonies, no one will visit you out there,” he said. “But now it has become a desirable place to visit.”

Swim & Tennis Club

Walsh has been involved in the Swim & Tennis Club for the past 30 years; at times he has been president and now he serves as Treasurer. The club first opened in 1971 when 22 members of the Lockridge Community put their own money on the line to build the pool. After a tornado came through in 1998 and ripped through the forests and club, one citizen offered a private loan to have the pool redone — with no interest. It really was a labor of love.

“It’s a park-like atmosphere,” Walsh said. “There’s a creek winding through it and when the trees are blooming and you can’t hear any traffic, it feels like you really are in a forest.”

Well sign us up! Actually, you can sign up for membership to this gem of a club because they accept families from any neighborhood, not just Lockridge Forest.

“We collect membership dues in April and May, and last year we weren’t even sure if we would be able to remain open,” Walsh said. But thanks to some hard work, the Swim & Tennis Club was able to put CDC protocols in place that allowed them to remain open to families.

In fact, last year they had the largest membership to date. After the challenges of 2020, it’s no surprise that families are valuing quality outdoor time.

Walsh talked about the importance of having places like the Swim and Tennis club available to the community. “The problem with technology overload is that we’re not giving ourselves the challenge to be bored, to be thinkers and writers and to just have the time to create,” he said.

With community members like Walsh and Sadd, it’s easy to be excited about the world returning to normal and watching Peachtree Corners continue to thrive even while going through some transitions. They both agree that residents of Lockridge Forest, who come from all walks of life, are good neighbors who feel more like family.