Can’t walk to a park? Neither can most Chattanoogans
These four maps show where our park system is falling short and how we might fix it.
By William Newlin
Right now, only 32% of Chattanoogans live within a short walk of a park. And of the neighborhood parks dotting Chattanooga, a majority of them are in need of repair, with some lacking basic amenities like water fountains and benches.
The Parks & Outdoors Plan, adopted by City Council in June, outlines a host of ways to improve and expand our parks system.
“This is going to be a lot of small actions, very tactical, small actions,” said Parks & Outdoors administrator Scott Martin. “But I’m telling y'all, the cumulative effect of tying those together will build the most livable city in America, bar none.”
Here are four maps offering different ways to look at the current state of our parks system and the changes that the Parks & Outdoors Department would like to make:
1. Most Chattanoogans aren't within walking distance of a park
Dark green areas indicate parks, and yellow shows areas that are within a 10-minute walk of a park. Explore the interactive version of this map here.
Chattanoogans who live downtown or close to downtown are much more likely to be able to walk to a park than those who live in other parts of the city. And while a majority of Chattanoogans surveyed by the department said walking is their preferred means of getting to their favorite park, nearly three-quarters of respondents said they have to drive to get to there.
With seven new neighborhood parks planned in the next 10 years, including four tentatively located east of Missionary Ridge where park access is sparse, the goal is to bring 55% of residents within walking distance to a park.
You can find a list of parks and park amenities here.
2. Most parks need repairs
Red and yellow pins on this map signify the worst quality parks in Chattanooga. This map appears on page 47 of the Parks and Outdoors Plan.
More than 40% of Chattanooga’s parks received a middling rating from Parks & Outdoors, which scored its assets based on the condition and availability of basic amenities like signs, lighting, shelters, and benches. Twenty percent were considered poor or “functionally obsolete,” while the rest were rated as good or “like new.”
The most resources go toward maintaining our largest, and most economically important parks (which make up a large portion of our total park acreage), including Coolidge Park, Ross's Landing, and the Tennessee Riverwalk. Remaining resources go to the smaller but more numerous parks serving individual neighborhoods. South Chattanooga has the highest proportion of low-rated parks. Clifton Hills, Piney Woods, and Caruthers Park are three areas slated for improvement.
Upgrading and building new high-quality neighborhood parks — which Parks & Outdoors administrator Scott Martin said provide needed boosts to the physical and mental health for residents — is a top priority for the department. With 19 neighborhood park upgrades scheduled in the next decade, the department forecasted it will need around 10 new maintenance staff to make it happen.
3. Chattanoogans expect high-quality greenways
Existing trails appear as orange lines above; planned trails are dotted lines.
According to the new Parks & Outdoors Plan, surveys found that paved and unpaved walking/biking trails are the two most popular aspects of Chattanooga’s park system.
“And what we've heard in Chattanooga is over and over and over again is greenways, greenways, greenways,” Martin said. “And, by the way, you don't hear that in Asheville. You don't hear that in Knoxville. A lot of our peer cities are not in that. That's a unique Chattanooga expectation.”
Expanding greenways to connect parks — particularly east of Missionary Ridge — and increasing access to waterways are a big focus of the department. Sixteen more miles of greenways and connectors are scheduled in the next decade, adding on to the 35 miles currently in place.
Go here to find trail maps for your next hike, and find additional hiking resources from Outdoor Chattanooga here.
4. Preserving 6,200 acres of land
Dark green indicates the highest priority for land conservation.
Conserving or preserving land means keeping it free of development to protect native plant and animal habitats, urban natural spaces, recreational areas, and other areas with conservation value. With an ambitious goal of preserving 6,200 acres (slightly more than the size of East Ridge), the new parks plan looks to start with 560 acres of city-owned vacant land since the city would not have to negotiate with property owners about land use.
On the map above, some of the darker green spots around the South Chickamauga Creek, Chattanooga Creek, and Mountain Creek west of Red Bank will be the first areas where the department will find city-owned land to preserve.
The plan also recommends working with local and regional partners and private property owners to form conservation easements, or legal agreements about land use that remain in effect no matter who owns the property in the future. Parks & Outdoors spokesman Brian Smith said, in the near term, easements could help expand greenways.
A final preservation option is creating programs for private developers to sell their development rights to a parcel of land with conservation value in exchange for the right to develop a different property. The original parcel could then receive protection through an easement.
You can discover native plants and wildlife in already-preserved areas of Chattanooga, such as: Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, Audubon Acres, and the Riverview Bird Sanctuary.
Learn more about the Parks & Outdoors Plan
Extensive research, community meetings, and two city-wide surveys went into the Parks & Outdoors Department’s new plan. This website contains the survey results, a summary of the plan, and lots of data offering new ways to view Chattanooga, including:
Development levels across the city, polluted waters, gaps in public transit, and more
Redlining, flood zones, socioeconomic demographics, and more
Regional trails, park visitor counts, the distance traveled to local parks, and more
You can contact William Newlin at william@chattamatters.com.