John Shearer: Chattanooga’s National Park City Orientation Event Held

A crowd of about 100 or so people gathered inside the Waterhouse Pavilion by Miller Plaza Wednesday evening for the inaugural informational event regarding Chattanooga’s potential efforts to become a National Park City.

The effort is a new one worldwide in which cities and communities that are interested can try to meet the criteria to become a National Park City. That in a simple definition includes citizens and various groups working more collaboratively to increase outdoor-related attractions, activities and even mindset.

According to some literature passed out at the gathering, that can involve focusing on such wide-ranging topics related to the outdoors as healthy living and mental wellbeing, area wildlife and flora, places and habitats, outdoor-related play and culture and recreation and art, locally grown food and responsible consumption, collaborative sharing among interested groups, and people’s relationships with nature and with each other.

The literature also mentioned that since national parks are places where a country has a better relationship with nature and culture and heritage, using that mindset with cities can shift the community’s collective understanding of what and who a city is for.

While it was sometimes hard to hear the speakers in the acoustically challenged pavilion with slightly open doors, one point came through loud and clear. That was the siren noise from passing emergency vehicles that likely served as a loud reminder to those gathered of man’s need for quiet natural spaces near the urban core.

The program was highlighted with talks by five representatives of the two other National Park City-designated communities in the world – London, England, and Adelaide, Australia – via a television monitor from their communities. They highlighted the holistic benefits of their cities’ designation, with London National Park City executive director Mark Cridge saying it was not just about improving parks and gardens, but also more broadly focusing on the health benefits and even transportation as they relate to the outdoors and the natural environment.

“It’s about all the things we can do,” said the speaker, who was also joined by his board chairman, Navdeep Deol. “It is also about how this concept can be taken up by cities of all shapes and sizes. This story is so important and essential.”

Sheryn Pitman, one of three speakers representing the National Park City effort in Adelaide along with Benjamin Green and Chris Daniels, pointed out in emphasizing the broad emphasis of the work that not only is nature diverse, but people also engage with nature in diverse ways.

She added that can include everything from art classes, to canoeing, to camping, to hiking, to gardening, to nature photography exhibits.

“These are all ways to improve connections to nature,” she said. “We really have to do whatever we can.”

The program that included free New York-style pizza slices and beverages for attendees was kicked off by Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors administrator Scott Martin, who, after he received a louder applause of appreciation than is typical for a simple city visioning session, highlighted the purpose of the meeting.

He said that Chattanooga has some great outdoor programs and places, but added in explaining part of the purpose for the potential designation, “What if we linked them together? Chattanooga has that secret sauce to do some really incredible things. And greatness does not require a large size.”

Mayor Tim Kelly also spoke briefly in person before the teleconference was shown on two large TV sets and seemed to endorse the National Park City proposal.

“Chattanooga is a green city literally, metaphorically and potentially economically,” he said. “It just makes sense to really lean into this and make Chattanooga the greenest city we can be.

“The concept of a city in a park is really compelling. We have done big things before, and we can do them again.”

He added that Chattanooga already has the natural setting in place with the scenic area around the city.

After the five speakers talked over the TV monitors, three local people with a vocational interest in the potential National Park City designation also spoke. They included Noel Durant of the Trust for Public Land, Tricia Mims of National Park Partners, and Melonie Lusk of Crabtree Farms. All wholeheartedly supported the plan.

Mr. Durant said this early work reminded him of such other great moments in the city’s history as when his parents were involved in the Vision 2000 work of the 1980s that eventually encouraged the construction of the Tennessee Aquarium and other downtown redevelopment.

“It would be an incredible opportunity for us,” he said.

Ms. Mims pointed out that the concept of a National Park City is already important in Chattanooga, with protected federal park land related to the Civil War and Native American settlement surrounding the city in various directions.

“Chattanooga should not be just inspired by a national park, we are the city that was shaped by the national park,” she said. “Let’s be a National Park City, too.”

Ms. Lusk looked at the potential designation as a way to honor both the land and the people of the community, and that the designation might help break up what she called the isolated “silos” of Chattanooga people work in.

“There are so many opportunities for us to come together,” she said.

Mr. Martin closed the nearly two-hour gathering by encouraging people interested in seeing Chattanooga go forward with attempting the potential designation to scan the QR code on the program that was passed out. A related website at chattanooganationalparkcity.org has also been set up for those interested in learning more or getting involved.

He said that if enough interest is shown, a later meeting will be held where a charter will be written by participants. It will then be vetted and circulated around to interested parties. The organizers will also attempt to gather 2,000 signatures and work with leaders of the National Park City movement brought to town by the National Geographic Society.

Mr. Martin said that the city could become the first American National Park City by Earth Day next April 22, but added, “That’s only if you think it is a good idea.”

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jcshearer2@comcast.net