The future of the Alton Park Greenway is now uncertain after the federal government pulled back a $20 million federal grant.
City officials got word from the Trump administration that the promised grant had been cancelled.
The trail is planned from the Riverwalk near Broad Street to Alton Park along an old railroad line.
On his Facebook page, Mayor Tim Kelly said, "The EPA has informed us and our partners that they intend to terminate their commitment to provide $20 million in funding for an important planned extension of the Riverwalk."
He further said, "President Trump has also spoken at length about his desire to create jobs, grow our economy and increase wages.
Few projects in Chattanooga have had a greater positive impact than the Tennessee Riverwalk, which the Alton Park Connector would extend. Past extensions and improvements made to the Riverwalk have yielded hundreds of millions of dollars in economic growth by attracting new investment in neglected areas, building Chattanooga's brand as one of the world's great outdoor cities, and connecting neighborhoods like Alton Park to high quality employment and educational opportunities. It's by generations of Chattanooga leaders from both political parties have so eagerly worked together to make those investments.
This decision to renege on our funding agreement is a missed opportunity to serve the President's stated agenda, and isn't going to make a whit of difference in our federal deficit. I hope that our partners at every level of government will work with us to reexamine this decision and get this important project back on track.
"I grew up in a business culture where your word is your bond: when you or a colleague commit to something, you keep your word, even if circumstances have changed. It's extremely disappointing to see the federal government break a commitment and go back on their agreement to fund this project.
"It's not just unfortunate, it's also counterproductive. The Alton Park Connector would help Chattanooga accomplish many of what President Trump and his allies say are their goals. The stated intent of the Trump Administration's Make America Healthy Again agenda is to reduce obesity and diabetes while improving mental health. The area the Alton Park Connector would serve has a disproportionate share of folks suffering from those ailments. And common sense and scientific research both tell us that increasing access to the outdoors and making it easier to get around by walking, running and biking is one of the best ways to improve physical and mental health."