Plan on Table to Make Chattanooga's Stringer's Ridge a Public Park

One Chattanooga City Council member called it a near catastrophe...the most recent bid to develop Stringer's Ridge.

Tuesday a move that could stop such future proposals.

The Trust for Public Land announced it signed an agreement with the owner to buy Stringer's ridge.

Garnet Chapin, Stringer's Ridge Neighborhood Association, "There are miles of roads back up in there that are perfect for hiking and biking. The prettiest view in the city bar none is from those hills."

With beautiful vistas, plenty of history and 92 acres of rugged terrain, most everyone will tell you Stringer's Ridge is worth preserving just the way it is.

Rick Wood, Trust for Public Land, "We are happy to announce that we do have a signed agreement with the land owner of Stringer's Ridge."

Now the Trust for Public Land puts a plan on the table to do just that...purchase the land and make it a public park.

It's a two and a half million dollar project.

Wood, "We think there will be so many opportunities for people to walk, hike, mountain bike, and it's so close to downtown we think it's going to be something that we're so proud of 10 years from now 5 year from now."

By October 10th the trust hopes to have pledges for a million dollars in private money.

The group wants the City to pitch in half a million.

Mayor Ron Littlefield calls it money well spent.

Mayor Ron Littlefield, City of Chattanooga, "The Trust for Public Land worked out an arrangement where we're basically lease purchasing our part. We're putting up 150 thousand dollars this year which we can pull from another fund and then in the next year's capital budget we would provide the rest."

Unlike the last project to build 500 homes, the Stringer's Ridge Neighborhood Association backs this plan 100 percent.

Chapin, "Even if there's some development as part of it, it would protect the ridgeline, the views that everyone has. It would protect the important Civil War sites and be respectful of the neighborhood."

The Trust for Public Land already raised more than 650 thousand dollars for the Project.

A resolution authorizing the City's 500 thousand dollar contribution is expected before the Council soon.