Groundbreaking held for Alton Park Connector

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Today, the City of Chattanooga partnered with the Trust for Public Land for a ceremonial groundbreaking marking the start of the Alton Park Connector Phase One.

City leaders and officials say the project is designed to expand access for nearby neighborhoods while strengthening the city’s overall infrastructure.

The connector is funded through a community investment project totaling 6.4 million dollars.

Mayor Tim Kelly says the groundbreaking represents years of behind the scenes work finally becoming visible to the public.

He compared the process to gardening, explaining that much of the effort happens long before residents ever see results.

“Most of it is like gardening. It is the work people never see,” Kelly said. “We planted these seeds years ago, and now they are finally starting to come out of the ground. Our investment in parks across the city continues to grow.”

According to the mayor, the city’s investment in park assets continues to grow, with additional federal funding expected in the future.

While the city awaits another 20 million dollars from the Environmental Protection Agency, officials say work on the project will continue in the meantime.

This marks Phase One of construction.

News 12 will continue to bring you updates throughout the process, as the project is located just outside our studio.