Chattanooga’s new Department of Parks and Outdoors is leveraging cost savings from lean operations and one-time staff vacancies to deliver a bevy of improvements to outdoor spaces in each of the city’s nine council districts.
The department’s design team began working in early April to identify $500,000 in projects that could be executed by the end of the year, and identified more than 50 ideas that were then whittled down to the final list. Planners prioritized projects based on need, geographic distribution, and with an emphasis on the economically disadvantaged areas in the city.
“Chattanooga’s outdoor resources are our city’s greatest competitive advantage, and as mayor I will continue to invest in green spaces to ensure that every neighborhood has access to a high-quality park that will increase our quality of life,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “I’m particularly impressed that our new Parks and Outdoors Department was able to make these investments from cost savings, as we work to be good stewards of our residents’ trust and resources.”
No new public dollars were used in the course of the project, and all improvements listed below have already been purchased, though some are still in the delivery process and are not yet fully installed.
The improvements include 60 new dog waste stations, 29 benches, and 60 new barbecue grilles, 40 of which have been installed, for parks and outdoor locations throughout the city.
Projects include:
Williams Island Boat Docks - new replacement docks for the only urban camping site on the Tennessee RiverLine in Chattanooga, supporting its recent designation as a Tennessee RiverTown
Lookout Valley Park (District 1) - new playground and swing set
Frances B Wyatt Park (District 2) - new playground and swing set
Hixson Park (District 3) - new playground
Greenway Farm Park (District 3) - new picnic tables for the deck at the recently-opened conference center and a family-sized barbecue grille
Jack Benson Heritage Park (District 4) - new grilles, picnic tables, and benches
Sterchi Farm Park (District 5) - new picnic tables for the recently re-opened and renovated park
Shepherd Park (District 6) - new shade structures at seating around the playground
Harris Johnson Park (District 7) - 8 new pieces of fitness equipment, new playground, and new border for the playground surface.
Pringle Park (District 7) - new playground
Caruthers Park (District 7) - new pavilion
Church Street Park (District 7) - new swing and pavilion
Ted Bryant Park (District 8) - new playground and swing set
Watkins Park (District 9) - new playground
Earlier this month, Mayor Kelly proclaimed July as Parks and Recreation Month in the city of Chattanooga, calling on residents to spend time in the city’s green spaces and add their voice to the new Parks and Outdoors Plan.