City of Chattanooga and Trust for Public Land selected for prestigious $20 million EPA Community Change Grant to extend Alton Park Connector

City of Chattanooga and Trust for Public Land selected for prestigious $20 million EPA Community Change Grant to extend Alton Park Connector

September 11, 2024

The selection is being celebrated at a public ceremony at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11 at Crabtree Farms, 1000 East 30th Street. Following remarks by local and federal officials, guests will be invited to join a "taco stroll" to support several locally-owned small businesses along the trail footprint.

Speakers will include several neighborhood leaders and community voices in addition to:

• Jeaneanne Gettle, Acting Regional Administrator US EPA Region 4
• Tim Kelly, Mayor of Chattanooga
• Noel Durant, Associate Vice President and Tennessee State Director, TPL
• Melonie Lusk, Executive Director, Crabtree Farm

TPL, in partnership with the City of Chattanooga, will receive nearly $20 million to develop additional portions of the Alton Park Connector, a transformative 2.6-mile trail system that will catalyze the revitalization of several south Chattanooga neighborhoods. Specifically, this grant will enable TPL to create a network of green spaces, expanded tree canopies, and innovative stormwater and floodplain management solutions along the trail.

The Alton Park Connector, first identified as a community priority in 2002, will reconnect three historically disadvantaged neighborhoods that have been isolated by railroads, highways, and other infrastructure barriers. Upon its completion, this project will benefit more than 3,800 residents currently living within a half-mile radius of the new trail system. The Alton Park Connector will also serve as a vital link to the Tennessee Riverpark, eventually connecting South Chattanooga to the new Chattanooga Lookouts ballpark and the rest of downtown Chattanooga,

"We are excited to announce this award to one of the first two selectees in EPA's Southeast Region," said acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle. "This impactful community change grant award will help hundreds of residents in Chattanooga address significant quality of life issues that they have endured as an environmental justice community."

"We are honored by the EPA's selection of Trust for Public Land for this historic investment," said Noel Durant "This grant acknowledges the years of community advocacy and collaboration. This trail system it will help create is a remarkable step forward in healing and reuniting some vital communities that have been overlooked for far too long."

"This is a historic investment in an area of Chattanooga that needs and deserves it," says Mayor Kelly. "This grant will help us and our valued partners at the Trust for Public Land extend the Alton Park Connector from the Riverwalk to Clifton Hills Elementary while investing in community organizations. The Alton Park Connector will add greenspace and tree canopy, giving Chattanoogans a beautiful new option for outdoor recreation. Just as importantly, it reconnects an underserved community to the rest of Chattanooga and the new development in the South Broad area, forging a path to better jobs, amenities, and services for the Chattanoogans who live in the area. This is One Chattanooga in action."

WHAT: EPA Community Change Grant Award Celebration and "taco stroll"

WHEN: Wednesday, September 11 at 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Crabtree Farms, 1000 East 30th Street

Cameras welcome. All participants will be available for on-camera interviews before/following remarks. RSVP to [email protected].

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