Just after Walter Cronkite announced to the world that our city was the most polluted place in America, the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau began to market our community as "Next Door to Outdoors." Forty years later, we have dramatically cleaned up our air and water, and we take the outdoors ever more seriously. The rest of the world has taken notice.
Throughout our metropolitan area, separate portions of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park offer places of quiet refuge where people can engage with the natural world. The existing sites commemorate the history and heritage of one of the most critical battles in the Civil War.
Soon, with the development of Moccasin Bend, the history will be expanded to include the proud cultures of the Native Americans who lived here in earlier centuries. Having an asset of such size and importance within our downtown is transformative beyond measure. Outdoors is no longer "next door;" it is an integral part of our urban fabric.
Visitors already come from around the world to explore our region's wilderness and learn about our rich history. According to the National Park Service, more than one million people annually visit the military park. Visitor spending supports nearly 1,000 jobs in the local area and generates more than $80 million in economic output to local communities.
Ron LittlefieldUnfortunately, many of our national parks - including Chickamauga-Chattanooga - have fallen into disrepair. Unreliable federal funding, aging infrastructure and increased visitation have all taken their toll on America's national parks. As a result, the agency now faces an $11.3 billion backlog in needed work. Included in the backlog are roads, bridges, trails, monuments and visitor centers.
If those infrastructure repairs were addressed, it would lead to an influx of jobs, particularly in Tennessee. According to a recent analysis commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts, providing financing for repairs in our national parks could lead to more than 2,500 jobs for the state. Roadbuilders, foresters and construction workers all would be required to get the job done. Our retail and hospitality industry also would benefit from the workers living or staying in the area.
It is a job that badly needs doing. Chickamauga-
Chattanooga has nearly $50 million in needed infrastructure repairs, according to the National Park Service.
Back in those darker and dirtier days before Chattanooga cleaned up its environment, I was a young city planner working with representatives of the private sector to create "Friends of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park," which later expanded to include "Friends of Moccasin Bend." Those private, nonprofit organizations have been instrumental in raising funds and awareness to support much needed facilities such as the existing Chickamauga visitors center and the promised interpretive facilities for Moccasin Bend. The point is that this is a long-standing and successful public/private partnership, and now it's time for the public sector to weigh in.
Some members of Congress have taken steps to revive this funding. The National Park Service Legacy Act is just one vehicle that would provide vital - guaranteed - funding. Members of the Tennessee congressional delegation have answered the call. Sen. Lamar Alexander has co-sponsored the bill in the Senate. Reps. Jimmy Duncan and Chuck Fleischmann have co-sponsored the House version.
This investment will help national parks like Chickamauga-Chattanooga and the Great Smoky Mountains remain accessible and continue as an economic engine for the region.
According to a recent report from the Outdoor Industry Association, outdoor recreation in Tennessee contributes to 188,000 jobs and generates $21.6 billion in consumer spending. Of this spending, $1.4 billion is generated for state and local tax revenue. Clearly, investing in these outdoor treasures would be a boon for the Scenic City.
So while our national economy is strong, it's time to call on Congress and members of the Tennessee congressional delegation to join Sen. Alexander, Reps. Fleischmann and Duncan to co-sponsor the National Park Service Legacy Act and invest in what makes Chattanooga and East Tennessee so great.
Ron Littlefield is a former mayor of Chattanooga.