New open spaces director adjusting to job

The above rendering shows how a proposed rocky outcropping might look at the revamped Miller Park.
The above rendering shows how a proposed rocky outcropping might look at the revamped Miller Park.

Chattanooga impressed Lori Goerlich when she traveled here from Illinois in 2010 for an American Trails conference that included a kayaking trip led by Outdoor Chattanooga staffers.

Now the city is her home and the Outdoor Chattanooga building in Coolidge Park is where she comes to work each day.

Goerlich started in September as the city's open spaces director, a new position designed to "activate" the city's public spaces and enhance neighborhood parks.

"We want her to be a place that we can see more activity in and around our city with things happening in parks, with people getting connected to Outdoor Chattanooga and a more vibrant city," Mayor Andy Berke said.

Goerlich said her job is to lead the city's process on park development and planning, with consideration for programs and special events, "really thinking about the amenities we're building in a park and how those spaces can be used by the community."

Among her early work, Goerlich has been involved in the plan to re-create Miller Park and the looming construction of a park in Alton Park. She also said much of her time so far has been dedicated to meeting people and learning the processes that projects go through before they're completed.

"Parks are not just for recreation," she said. "They're a part of everyday quality of life. They're a space to get away from it all, to refresh and de-stress. They're good for community health and public health. They're great for the economy, because it's a resource you can celebrate and take advantage of to do events.

"There are so many pieces, and so many things parks can give to a community. I think part of my job is to really think about all those factors and make sure we're always striving to maximize the potential of those spaces."

The open spaces director reports to deputy chief operating officer David Carmody. A description of the job on chattanooga.gov does not include the position's salary.

Berke said the decision to add the position came partially from feedback gained through the Chattanooga Forward initiative he launched after taking office.

"Citizens told us this was important," he said. "We listened to them and created the position. Our brand is very much a quality-of-life city with great outdoors and fantastic neighborhoods. Citizens have let us know we can enhance that even further with someone in city government who wakes up every day trying to build those experiences for people."

Goerlich studied landscape architecture and environmental studies at Iowa State University before beginning her career in Chicago with Jacobs Ryan, a landscape architecture firm. Camping and hiking are her favorite outdoor activities.

She worked for a county forest preserve district in Illinois when she first visited Chattanooga in 2010. Impressed by the area, she pursued a job as parks and greenways coordinator for Knoxville. She worked there for four and a half years before accepting the open spaces director position.

Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.

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