Parents and their kids play on military vehicles during the Independence Day festivities being held at Veterans Memorial Park last July.Collegedale’s Veterans Memorial Park could soon be seeing a lot more visitors, and the surrounding businesses, a lot more customers.
City Manager Ted Rogers is hoping to obtain a tourist attraction sign from the state to advertise the presence of the park, located just 2.5 miles from the interstate.
The blue sign, used on freeways across the country to reveal nearby restaurants, hotels and other popular locales, would be posted by Exit 9 for drivers on I-75 to see, and Rogers is hoping the park’s closeness will be “a big draw.”
“There’s people who get off the interstate and drive 15, 20 minutes out of the way to see something. This is only two and a half miles,” he said. “Less than five minutes, and you’re there. You can see it and walk around it and get right back on the interstate.”
Rogers is hoping those who make the slight detour to visit the city’s greenway system and memorial park, which serves to honor veterans and those serving in the military, will also stimulate the local economy by visiting nearby businesses.