The city of Collegedale is continuing to prepare for future growth with a recreational survey and a new traffic signal.
In the hopes of kicking off its master planning process, Collegedale's Parks and Recreation Department is conducting a survey to gauge what locals want to see added to the city's leisure opportunities and offerings in the future. This will be the department's first attempt to formally gather public input since forming late last year.
The survey was developed in partnership with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's outdoor recreation department, which has worked with Hamilton County government on research projects in the past.
Once completed, the survey will allow city planners to form long-term goals for recreational amenities, facilities, programs and special events, said Traci Bennett-Hobek, director of the Parks and Recreation Department. The feedback will also be instrumental in guiding planners as they apply for grants and direct the awarded funding, she added.
Because many of the visitors who regularly use Collegedale's amenities live outside city limits, the survey will solicit information to help analysts distinguish between residents and non-residents, Bennett-Hobek said. The categorization will ensure that non-residents are represented through the city's future efforts, though requests from residents will likely take priority.
"It comes down to who's paying the taxes," said Bennett-Hobek. "If you live here, you want to have the opportunity to say, 'Hey, this is what I'd like.'"
She said the survey will also help with economic planning for the city, as it will give officials an idea of what recreational offerings attract visitors to Collegedale or convince them to move there. She referenced a study from the National Recreation and Park Association whose findings show that robust parks and recreation programming attracts talent for employers while encouraging business retention and expansion.
When announcing where Volkswagen's $1 billion U.S. auto assembly plant would be located, VW officials cited downtown Chattanooga's proximity to nearby undeveloped scenic areas as one of the factors that helped convince them to choose Chattanooga.
Those interested in completing Collegedale's recreation survey can find it online at tinyurl.com/CollegedaleRecreationSurvey until Oct. 29. Bennett-Hobek said results from the survey will be posted online after Jan. 1, 2019, and a public meeting will be scheduled to break down the findings and gather more input.
By January, Collegedale residents should also expect to see a new traffic signal installed at the intersection of University Drive and College Drive East.
The two-way stop often sees congestion due to its proximity to Collegedale Academy, Collegedale Adventist Middle School and A. W. Spalding Elementary School, said City Manager Ted Rogers. He believes the new installment will bring more safety and control to the intersection.
"There's a lot of routine traffic in there dropping off and picking up from school," Rogers said. "We think it's a legitimate and needed improvement."
Funding for the nearly $99,000 traffic light will come from Collegedale Public Works' capital budget. Rogers said the work is expected to begin within one to two months, though the exact date has not been given.
Email Myron Madden at mmadden@timesfreepress.com.