Bringing Red Bank Out Of The Shadows

  • Friday, October 31, 2014

My family and I drove up Dayton Boulevard the other day. As we traveled back towards home, my parents and I remembered the days of the "Old" Red Bank. I love hearing stories of the way our community was. Nobody had to lock their doors at night. Everyone knew everyone because their children went to the same schools and church together. Everyone took pride in their community. The status of "living in Red Bank" held high regards in other communities in Chattanooga.

Nowadays, that pride has been shaken by bad media press, politicians fighting with one another over the decades, the "traffic camera' debacle and many other distractions. Once proud community is now having trouble with all kinds of unlike Red Bank activities. Houses once unlocked are now locked up so tight. People do not know one another. Children zoned for Red Bank schools are going to neighbor schools or being home schooled. This cuts down on the students attending our beloved and proud school system. Once long running stores are no longer. It looked bleak for a once proud community of Red Bank. Red Bank became a laughing stock of Chattanooga. 

It is now 2014, the community of Red Bank is beginning to start to come back to life. The Middle School Building built, roads being paved, ball fields being updated, and businesses coming into the community. The once Red Bank hardware store building was brought back to life with some new business. The land that was once the home of the original Red Bank High School campus was cleared off and ready for with a new adventure. Red Bank added a new dog park at the White Oak Park. Just a month ago, the Red Bank mayor and commissioners gathered together to unveil the new Civil War plaques on Memorial Drive and James Avenue. Red Bank finished some sidewalk work. 

I love listening to my parents remember what it was like to grow up in our beloved community. They had their wedding rehearsal dinner at the Southern Restaurant.  The got married 38 years ago (just after church was over). My father, brother and sister-in-law graduated from Red Bank High School while my mother graduated from Hixson High School. Both Cranes and Bradleys attended Red Bank Baptist Church. My siblings and I grew up the second generation Red Bank where we went to school an church in Red Bank. My older sister and I played RB G.I.R.L.S fastpitch league in the summer while my brother was in the RBHS marching band. 

We are about to have a real important election in our beloved community. It will determine if Red Bank moves forward or stays dormant. New houses have not been built in Red Bank for awhile. Most of the houses in Red Bank were built in the 1970's or earlier. Many people outside our beloved community speak of the empty stores and lack of interest in Red Bank. Our empty stores are lowering in numbers and new businesses are starting to show interest in Red Bank. We had a political forum at the new middle school. The six people who are running in the election were suppose to face questions from the residents. Three John Roberts, Edward LaCompte and Terri Pope, showed up. Three of the candidates did not show up and their absences were louder than if they were there. Many of the Red Bank residents were upset at the three missing candidates. 

We need commissioners that love Red Bank as much as I do. Mayor John Roberts has done a lot for our community. It is not easy to run a town and keep everyone happy. Our commissioners work hard to keep thing running but they argue sometimes. We need commissioners to work together and help bring Red Bank back to greatness. Our community deserves it and so does it's residents. We need the bad reputation to go away into the night. Our police department and fire department need help because they have to deal with a lot in their jobs. They need to be brought up to date. 

Come on, residents of Red Bank, your vote is much needed in this election. We need to stand up and let our voices be heard. We need to take back our beloved Red Bank community and bring it into the light and the sun. The residents need to help "restore the roar" and Lions Pride back into our community. 

Laura Crane
Red Bank

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