Chattanooga’s park planning efforts will get a $40,000 boost thanks to a grant from several private organizations.
The city was one of 12 selected to receive the funding as part of the 10-Minute Walk Campaign. The campaign consists of nearly 200 mayors pledged to improve city parks and park access.
Bodhi Workman looks at a giant pencil recently placed in St. Elmo Park on Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. A sign left with the pencil says, “This is a real pencil, and it belongs to everyone. Hey that’s you! Poor tree was brought down by vines, bugs, and a strong winter wind. So I made a Pencil! Enjoy it. It works. The tip needs to be charred from time to time.”“Parks play a critical role in the health and well-being of our communities,” Mayor Andy Berke said in a news release. “Chattanooga is proud to be connecting all of our residents to local parks. From greenways and playgrounds to hiking and biking trails, Chattanoogans should possess options for activities and community gatherings.”
Berke was one of the first mayors to join the campaign when it launched last year. Its goal is for everyone in the U.S. to live within a 10-minute walk of a high-quality park or green space. Now about 36 percent of Chattanooga residents fall in that category. However, the city’s current focus is improving access to existing parks, although adding parks and green spaces will remain a priority, said city parks planner Akosua Cook.
Cook and other city leaders are beginning to work on updating the city’s park master plan. The master plan is crucial to planning at a systemwide level but hasn’t been updated since the 1990s. The city is considering paying a consultant to help with the effort, which could take nearly two years. The master plan will help leaders decide what and where improvements are needed.