John Shearer: Exploring And Searching For Greenways, Part 29 – Finding A Gem In Southside Community Park

Since I just moved back to Chattanooga fulltime in 2017, I have sometimes been oblivious to all the minute goings-on in town that took place in the 12 years I was in Knoxville. 

 

As a result, not until I saw some media reports in recent days about a grant for a playground at Southside Community Park did it dawn on me that not only had I not been to that park, which I later learned was fairly new, but I had also never even heard of it.

 

And that is, even though I visited several parks and open spaces in the Southside, Alton Park and St.

Elmo areas for a previous story in this series more than a year ago

 

But I finally visited Southside Community Park on Thursday along with the small, planned Hughes Project park space not too far away, and I found the city of Chattanooga-operated park to be a real oasis.

 

Due to the fact it is in a lower-income residential area and near a number of unattractive and mostly fenced-off industrial sites, it to me is the shiniest gem in the area, despite such other positives as the nice Villages at Alton Park and the nearby Bethlehem Community Center.

 

With its well-manicured grass and nice pavilion, Southside Community Park would be embraced in any part of the Chattanooga area. Residents of some very popular residential areas with more limited space for parkland would definitely love to see that exact same piece of manicured land sitting in their neighborhood. 

 

Looking up some information on the park, I learned that the land sits where the old Charles A. Bell Elementary stood. The school had closed in 1989 during a move by former city schools Supt. Harry Reynolds to consolidate students throughout town, and it apparently sat vacant and deteriorated until it was torn down.

 

I have always thought Chattanooga as a community, not as a government entity, lets too many nice older schools sit empty for too long or does not try to save them. Many of them could be remodeled for attractive housing, like I saw done with several schools in Knoxville. 

 

But what was a rundown and empty building in this case did become an attractive park. The school building was finally torn in 2011, and the park was built and opened in 2017 following input from interested neighborhood residents.

 

And now a $50,000 grant has been secured to build playground equipment and make the park area even more attractive for the younger-aged children – and their parents.

 

Kudos to all those involved in its planning and continuing development.

 

From downtown Chattanooga, one can get to Southside Community Park by taking Market Street south until it becomes Alton Park Boulevard, and then turning left at West 38th Street. Just past Bethlehem Community Center on the right and the Villages at Alton Park on the left where the razed former Spencer McCallie Homes sat, one can turn left and run into the park.

 

Be careful driving, because West 38th Street is a busy street and darting in and out from the side streets is challenging, and please don’t go through the low viaduct bridge at Alton Park Boulevard if you are driving a tall truck. You might get stuck, as happened on Thursday to someone.

 

From my house in the Northgate Mall area, the park is about a 20-minute drive, although I learned about that more direct route later. I was there about 3 p.m. on the sunny and somewhat warm day, and no one was there.

 

So, I parked my car on the north side of the pavilion and began walking around.

 

I was taken aback by how large the park is. It was not like a 100-acre piece of property, but you could probably put a football or soccer field within the circular and paved walking/jogging/biking track. South of the pavilion was just the track and some very nice grass that many private country clubs would love to have. 

 

Lining the path are some attractive young hardwood trees that will no doubt provide great shade on hot summer days like Thursday in just a few years. 

 

Below the oval path is just some open space and a few trees and one of those newer and official city of Chattanooga signs featuring the park’s name and which I love. 

 

The slanted pavilion has a nice look and is of quality construction, although it is not one of those high-end structures. It features two bathrooms, some tables uniquely with checker and chess boards in the middle of them, and some grills just outside. 

 

Very modest and older residences and maybe a church sit just across the road to the east.

 

To the north of the pavilion and parking lot is some nice open space that could maybe be incorporated into the park more. There seems to be a lot of undeveloped land in different parts of Alton Park, and I found that appealing. Some of it could belong to the owners of the various industrial tracts in the neighborhood, but I thought of future park space.

 

Chattanooga Creek is a short distance east, although not adjoining the park, and maybe future greenway land can be developed around here, too. The praised Crabtree Farms urban garden/farm is just across the creek and a little to the north.

 

Of course, those involved in trendy residential construction projects in the nearby Southside might be eyeing this land as well long term. 

 

As for the present, I found Southside Community Park a real diamond and a place that probably well over 95 percent of Chattanooga area residents have never seen. As someone who likes to jog on grass, I would love to have a place like this near me.

 

And you get to enjoy a nice view of the eastern face of Lookout Mountain not too far away as well.

 

While in this part of town, I also went down Hughes Avenue right near the park and saw the tiny tract of land by West 40^th Street where the Net Resource Foundation that is connected to Westside Baptist Church would like to develop a small park.   

 

Plans for that small tract of about 20 yards by 30 yards and other spaces around the church include a lawn, a rose garden, a stage and other garden areas. The land and church are behind the Bethlehem Community Center, where some sunflowers were starting to bloom in another garden space that was fenced in.

 

New Chattanooga City Councilman Raquetta Dotley, whom I interviewed a few weeks ago about her newly elected position, is heading up the project as the Net Resource Foundation director.

 

Near the planned park space, I also saw a couple of grassy triangles due to the slanting pattern of some of the streets here. I love features like that, which you find mostly in older neighborhoods. 

 

Even the triangles could be beautified a little more.

 

Yes, this part of town has plenty of potential, and let’s hope it can overcome the various challenges that beset many lower-income neighborhoods. 

 

The Southside Community Park certainly seems to be doing its part with its nice appearance and growing amenities.

 

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To see the previous story in this series, read here.

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2021/5/21/428749/John-Shearer-Exploring-And-Searching.aspx

 

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Jcshearer2@comcast.net