Sometimes when you read or see in the local news media about a new area park opening, you cannot completely visualize it through two or three photos or 15 seconds of video.
When I saw that the new Little Debbie Park had been dedicated Friday by the Collegedale Commons, I pictured it being mostly a playground for kids.
But I had also read that it covered about 10 acres, so I was curious to see it. And when I arrived Saturday morning and traversed it, I realized it was for the kid at heart, too. Or at least it is for someone who likes to walk or run or exercise in some way and get that youthful feeling of being outside and sweating on a carefree summer day when school is not in session.
And the three or four statues related to Little Debbie snack cakes placed around the grounds as an ode to park benefactor McKee Foods Corporation definitely transcend the perspectives of both adult art lovers and childhood lovers of large toylike objects and sweet snacks, too.
With such sights, I definitely felt a little like Charlie in the chocolate factory as I wandered around the grounds. That is, despite being more thirsty than hungry by the time I had finished my hour visit amid the hot and humid weather before the heavy area rains arrived.
While the park land donation by McKee was altruistic, it also likely results in a little advertising. Between the statues and the interesting and detailed historical plaques with a few eye-catching photos also dotting the grounds, I no doubt took notice of all the Little Debbie snack cakes for sale at the Hixson Food City that night and felt my mouth water.
And that is all good and fine with me in order to get 10 acres of nice land connecting with the already-existing Collegedale Greenway alongside Wolftever Creek.
When I decided to visit the park, I left my Northgate Mall area home about 10 a.m. Saturday and headed out Highway 153 over Chickamauga Dam and then up Interstate 75 before getting off at Exit 9 at Volkswagen Drive. I went in the other direction on Apison Pike and traveled through an area that is no doubt rapidly changing and being taken over by suburban development, despite the occasional 1960s-era homes sitting here or there.
I turned right at Swinyar Drive by the Collegedale Commons area and went back to the park behind the various community and city of Collegedale buildings and other recreation space. And there I was, 25 minutes or so after I had left home. As was requested on signs there, I had to back into my parking space on the right side of the road, just as drivers must do on that side road off Main Street near downtown Chattanooga.
I got out and quickly began examining the park and trying to take a few photos of such eye-catching sights as the Little Debbie Park sign (which said it was established in 2022, not 2023) and the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake sculpture. Whether the latter will be the scene of a tree-lighting – or maybe tree-tasting – ceremony every December, I do not know.
But just as eye-catching was all the grass around the park that made happy this lover of jogging on soft and natural surfaces instead of harder asphalt. The covering looked like some nice sod grass, too, perhaps to rival the Honors Course just a mile or two northeast.
I then went over and saw the playground that was full of youngsters enjoying a few interesting pieces of recreation equipment under the watchful eyes of their parents. The most popular was no doubt the zipline ride of about 20 yards across a flat stretch.
There was also a miniature climbing wall that looked like a Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie complete with hand and foot grasps reflective of the candy pieces on top.
I then went up and examined the biggest surprise to me in the park as someone who had not been there before and did not thoroughly peruse all the news reports on its opening. That was the tall climbing hill that looks like those at Renaissance Park next to Coolidge Park on Chattanooga’s North Shore. Who said Collegedale is mostly flat?
The hill had well-manicured grass on its front face but was nicely surrounded on the other sides by numerous perennial flowers blooming this time of year. In fact, several parts of the park looked as well taken care of so far as a place like Biltmore. I did notice that some young and possibly newly planted dogwood trees had some drier-looking leaves. But hopefully the rains that have come through Chattanooga since Saturday morning have been helpful, although the city of Collegedale workers might be keeping an eye on them, too. I actually think that is just the nature of dogwoods in summertime.
I then began walking around the rest of the acreage and saw additional grass, sidewalks and other well-landscaped trees and other plantings, including an area covered in small bushes and perhaps also used as a water runoff area during heavy rains.
I also saw several small picnic areas with nice wooden coverings. Several porch swings were also covered. The latter added to the feeling of every adult of being able to transcend their age, as the swings were like adult swings and could have even been pushed from behind like a playground swing.
Also a few feet from the main playground area were some pieces of outdoor musical equipment that youngsters – and a few adults who want to have some rhythmic fun -- could play. These included drums and pipes that could be banged with tethered sticks. Let’s hope these pieces are all still in good shape a year or two from now!
By this time, I thought I had checked out basically the whole park, but then I stumbled on something very unusual. There behind the small mounds and around the large climbing hill was a path. But what made it unusual was that it was made of sodded grass, not concrete, asphalt, gravel, or even mulch as might normally be the case. I loved that effect.
I then jogged a little up and down a small part of the greenway along the creek, a place I had visited in late 2020 for a story in this series. While doing that, I noticed that an adjacent parking lot was full of cars of Saturday morning attendees at the Seventh-day Adventist Church. One vehicle even had “just married” written on the back windshield. Congratulations to them at this time when many Collegedale residents are getting ready to spend plenty of time in the future with the park offerings as well.
The strong Seventh-day Adventist Church connection is one aspect of this area that is unlike the rest of Hamilton County and would be worth a historical look sometime, including at how Southern Adventist University came to be located there. That is, even though the community appears to have plenty of people of all outlooks and persuasions arriving in larger numbers as more people look for suburban places to live in the Chattanooga area.
I then went back to get ready to leave in my car, but first decided to jog slowly up the hill and experience the park and surrounding area from the top. After all, I realized I could not say I had completely visited Little Debbie Park if I did not go to the top.
I successfully ascended it and enjoyed the view as king of the mountain, although an out-of-breath king at that.
After that, I went down and planned to use the restroom attached to the nice open-air pavilion before leaving for my nearly half-hour journey home. The pavilion, like several buildings in the Collegedale Commons area, is shaped somewhat like a barn.
On my way to the pavilion, I noticed another giant model of a bakery product. I actually thought it was a Moon Pie and that it was perhaps an ode to the other famous sweet snack made in large quantities in the Chattanooga area. But then I overheard a mother call it an Oatmeal Crème Pie to her child and realized it was obviously another Little Debbie snack cake.
The Oatmeal Crème Pie actually came along before Little Debbies, I once learned, and visitors can find that out today through the historical signs at the park.
And speaking of Little Debbie, there is also a statue of Little Debbie holding a plate of my favorite snack cakes – Swiss Cake Rolls (although I like Nutty Bars, too!).
Although I like to critique parks and make suggestions, I could not really find anything wrong with this one. Perhaps a fountain like at Coolidge Park might be a good idea, if one is not nearby at some of the other Collegedale Commons or Greenway spaces.
And there certainly seems to be room for a few more sculptures of snack cakes in the future!
The grassy lawns would also be perfect for concerts.
Regardless, the park and all its amenities are ideal for making everyone feel like a kid at heart! I know I felt that way getting to jog past a few pretend snack cakes and real grass and plantings.
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Among the facts of the park, McKee Foods had purchased the land from Southern Adventist University to donate park space to the city of Collegedale for people of all capabilities to use. Among those involved were Barge Design Solutions Inc., and Tinker MA LLC, who worked with PlayCore on the design. The contractor was P&C Construction, and the landscaping was done by Ooltewah Nursery & Landscaping. The Little Debbie sculpture was created by local artist Alex Paul Loza.
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On one of the park plaques providing historical information on McKee Foods Corporation and Little Debbies is a quote by current senior vice president of stewardship Rusty McKee about the McKee family’s interest in nature and parks. He says, “From my grandparents to the current generation, our family has always enjoyed hiking the trails through Tennessee’s rolling hills and seeing our Creator’s wonderful designs in the trees, leaves and the breeze felt from open green fields. This is our family’s gift for you, your family, and friends to experience the same.”
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To see the previous story in this series, read here.
https://www.chattanoogan.com/2023/5/26/469708/John-Shearer-Exploring-And-Searching.aspx