Chattanooga celebrates new Riverfront Parks project on Friday

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Downtown’s Riverfront Parks will soon see major upgrades. 

“Today is about sharing a framework plan, which provides the direction of how we are going to add features and amenities to enhance the riverfront parks,” said Emily Mack, CEO of River City Company. 

River City and Chattanooga created a plan for Riverfront Parks for everyone to enjoy and be active. 

Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly believes it’s time for new and *shady* features on the Riverfront 

“What we have learned over the years is that we did not have enough residents coming down here and enjoying it, because there is really not a lot of shade. It is not a place that you can just hang out in the summertime. So, it is time for an update,” said Mayor Kelly. 

The new Riverfront Parks project will connect distance corridors and enhance the ecology of Chattanooga. 

As well as provide Civic and Recreational porches for fun activities. 

Scott Martin with Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors says this project is an economic benefit for Chattanooga’s growth. 

“Over time we want this park to be able to evolve and host event we all love. We hope this will be a neighborhood park where you want to live downtown. You want to be able to go out with you kids and play on the playground, you want to be able to grow crops,” said Martin. “We want to make it a home park that builds on Chattanooga as an assets that is not a way on cheating anybody” 

 And with this new project,  Martin hopes the Riverfront Parks project will also develop Chattanooga in the future. 

“Communities that do not have a future, do not build parks. That is the bottom line. The goal here is kind of is Wayne Gretzky quote of ‘skate to where the puck is going to be.’ Think about where our city is going to be. think about it as 300,000 people. What type of park system do we need to support a great quality of life here,” Martin concluded.