Finalizing skate park plans, honoring Leamon Pierce

Skaters look out over the Chattown Skate Park at 1801 Reggie White Boulevard. (Photo/William Newlin)

See the Nov. 4 meeting minutes here

Grant award for skate park

A $1.3 million contract increase for the skate and dog park renovations was approved. Parks & Outdoors spokesman Brain Smith. said a $500,000 state grant and reallocation of existing city funds will cover the increase.

In August, Council approved cutting items from the contract with Robert Roberts to stay under budget. Smith said the extra funds will let the city go forward with most of the original design plans, such as adding another entrance, rearranging the dog park, and doing more landscape work.

A different contract with California Skateparks will pay for the new concrete skating surface.

Other parks grants

Parks & Outdoors received approval to apply for two grants. The first will provide $200,000 to expand the department’s program of daily camps for kids and teens during school breaks.

Another $120,000 grant will fund a small hard-surface soccer pitch for the park at East Lake Community Center. The Chattanooga Football Club Foundation will supply another $100,000.

Leamon Pierce Avenue

Council voted to add a commemorative “Leamon Pierce Avenue” sign on Cannon Avenue to honor the former City Council member and civil rights activist. Pierce died last month at 84.

The Chattanooga News Chronicle recounted that in 1960, Pierce helped lead the anti-segregation sit-ins at Chattanooga lunch counters begun by Howard High School seniors.

District 8 voters elected him to the first City Council in 1990, where he served until 2009.

Deannexing Chick-fil-A

Council approved scheduling a public hearing about deannexing part of the Chick-fil-A parking lot at 8883 Old Lee Highway. While the small parcel falls within Chattanooga city limits, the restaurant and other parking areas are in Collegedale.

Residents can comment on the proposal at the start of the Dec. 9 Council meeting.

Head Start leases

The Economic Development administrator was approved to sign three $1-per-year leases with the Hamilton County School Board for the Avondale, Cedar Hill, and Daisy Head Start facilities.

$12.7 million for sewer

Council approved a $12.7 million contract with a company based in Cincinnati, Ohio, for improvements to a sewer pump station.