City Planning To Apply For $10 Million BlueCross Healthy Place Grant For Riverfront

  • Tuesday, August 20, 2024

The city is planning to apply for a $10 million BlueCross Healthy Place grant for the riverfront. There would be no city matching requirement.

Emily Mack, president of the River City Company, said if the grant is secured the elaborate playground would be installed in an area east of the Olgiati Bridge and west of the Chattanooga Green and Ross's Landing Park.

She said that area has been under-utilized, but will be enlivened under the renovations.

The playground would be a component of recent riverfront updates planned as part of the Evolving Riverfront Plan.

The City Council was told that work is getting underway on detailed design for the extensive riverfront changes. Construction is set to start in November 2025.

There will be an area to honor America's veterans and another "porch" focusing on Native Americans. Another section has a cultural/arts area. 

Ms. Mack said the Chattanooga Green will mainly be left as a large grassy area, but it will get some landscaping and seating around the edges.

She said there are plans for a "popup project" along the riverfront that will include such play components as pickleball, roller skating, a pump track and basketball. She said that will help determine if those components should be included on a permanent basis.

Asked by Council Chairman Chip Henderson if park goers will still be able to slide down a hill on a pizza box, City Parks Administrator Scott Martin said sliding will still be encouraged and some hillside slides are planned to go along with the "pizza boxes".

There will be a watercraft launching area after complaints that there are few places on the south side of the river for the launches.

BlueCross has built Healthy Places all across Tennessee, including ones at Highland Park and St. Elmo.

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