Chattanooga and Hamilton County have an exceptional opportunity to develop a national park at their doorstep, one of only 408 such parks in the United States. A national park at Moccasin Bend embodies the values Chattanooga celebrates: the incredible natural beauty of our landscape; a revived downtown; respect for our environment, history and culture; and access to outdoor education and recreation for all, including families and urban youth.
Read more
* Planners unveil Moccasin Bend gateway, public spaces design * Police take aim at $300,000 to repair Moccasin Bend firing range * Sohn: Residents should demand that police get off of Moccasin Bend * Cooper: Moccasin Bend park is on the way; move the firing range
In addition, the prospect of 250,000 annual visitors and extra overnight tourist stays gives Moccasin Bend the potential to be the next big thing in a portfolio of already illustrious riverfront attractions that raise our quality of life and support our $1 billion-a-year tourist industry.
The current location of a law enforcement firing/training range, surrounded on three sides by national park land and on the fourth by the Tennessee River, is clearly inconsistent with the expansion of public enjoyment and current development along the riverfront. The range has been acknowledged for 15 years as the most incompatible feature of the Bend and has been slated for closure, cleanup and addition to the park – with the range itself moved to a first-class facility where our law enforcement professionals can train to be their best.
It is true that the road to a national park and visitor center on the Bend has been a long one. Yet today, the National Park Service is engaged in an accelerated effort to fully develop the vast potential of Moccasin Bend under the direction of the new superintendent of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Brad Bennett. In 2013, the Federal Road Trace was opened and is enjoying active usage. In 2014, the future site of the visitor center and riverfront access were opened to the public. In 2015, the Park Service is moving ahead with a general management plan to lay out the design for future recreation and interpretation on the Bend, including a Tennessee Riverwalk extension through the firing range property onto Stringer’s Ridge.