Residents of Chattanooga gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the BlueCross Healthy Place at St. Elmo Park.
The city of Chattanooga applied for the BlueCross Healthy Place grant with the hope of improving equipment and access in the well-loved community space.
“Our outdoor resources are Chattanooga’s greatest competitive advantage, and we are grateful to partners like the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation for the key role they play in opening up access to these resources,” said Mayor Tim Kelly. “Recreation bridges physical and mental health gaps in our community, and our efforts to build connectivity among our parks, neighborhoods and the river will pay off in a happier, healthier Chattanooga.”
Grant applicants were invited to choose from six project packages based on the needs of their communities. St. Elmo selected the Fitness and Fun package, and park visitors will enjoy the following features in the new space:
- Challenge course
- Fitness station
- Accessible play areas for ages 2-5 and 5-12
- Swing set
- Community lawn
There are 15 BlueCross Healthy Places completed statewide, with more underway. To date, the BlueCross Foundation has invested $31.7 million in 17 community spaces across the state.
For additional information about the BlueCross Healthy Place Program, see BlueCrossHealthyPlaces.com.