NRPA Celebrates Opening of Lynnbrook Park

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the City of Chattanooga proudly announce the grand opening of Lynnbrook Park, located at 1602 Lynnbrook Ave, a transformative project revitalizing a 1.4-acre former empty lot in the heart of the Oak Grove neighborhood. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Saturday, July 27, 2024, celebrating a remarkable transformation aimed at providing a central gathering place for families and friends while enhancing local park and recreation access.

"Having a place like Lynnbrook Park is vital for our neighborhood. It provides a safe and welcoming environment where families and friends can come together, build relationships, and create lasting memories," said District 8 Councilwoman Marvene Noel. "This park is more than just a green space; it's a cornerstone of our community.".

Lynnbrook Park, awarded the prestigious 2021 Parks Build Community award by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), has been thoughtfully designed to allow families to play, recreate, and discover nature. The park's transformation includes a restored stream with natural water filtration, permeable surfaces, natural and native plantings, and new play equipment. It also features spaces for community gatherings, cooking, celebrations, and a walking path that will serve thousands of Oak Grove residents and surrounding communities without access to a quality park within walking distance.

"Parks and playgrounds should be accessible to everyone, and I know the Oak Grove community is excited about this new neighborhood park," said Mayor Tim Kelly. "Chattanooga is known for our outdoor assets, but we're always looking for ways to increase access to nature. The park's restored stream, walking paths, native plants, and playground will meaningfully improve the quality of life in this neighborhood."

After extensive clearing and removal of the existing parking lot, debris, and more, dedicated teams began working on the park's transformation in May of 2023. Grading work over the past provided a solid foundation while retaining walls and reinforced concrete pipes were installed to enhance structural integrity and drainage into a tributary of Dobbs Creek. In addition to the stream restoration, storm drain installations, fence construction, and the commencement of various structural and aesthetic features like seat walls and boulder arches were added to not only enhance the look of the park but to also mitigate a history of flooding at this location.

"This project is a shining example of how urban parks can be designed to meet the needs of the community while addressing environmental challenges," Scott Martin, Administrator of Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors, added, "Lynnbrook Park is now a vibrant space where families can gather, children can play, and nature can thrive."

As the project unfolded, it became apparent that it was more than just construction; it was a narrative of transformation, unity, reestablishing nature, and growth. The various elements, both functional and artistic, wove together to create a tapestry that the community would enjoy for years to come.

"By restoring the stormwater drainage system and implementing natural filtration, we've not only created a beautiful park but also addressed significant flooding issues in the neighborhood," said Maria Price Assistant City Engineer with Public Works Stormwater Division " This project showcases the power of sustainable design in urban spaces."

The Oak Grove neighborhood is a small, diverse community with more than 1,000 residents, including Black, Latino, and white families. Historically, the area has had limited access to parks and recreational spaces. The improvements to Lynnbrook Park mark a significant enhancement in local park access, providing a vital green space for a community that has long been underserved. Lynnbrook Park will be accessible to approximately 3,000 people within a ten-minute walk, contributing to the revitalization and empowerment of the Oak Grove neighborhood. The park's transformation of an underutilized area into a community asset is expected to improve water quality and provide residents with a place to reconnect with nature in an urban setting.

As the recipient of the NRPA Parks Build Community Award in 2021, Lynnbrook Park benefited from a series of donated items valued at almost $300,000, underscoring the project's importance and the community's support. The successful completion of Lynnbrook Park was made possible through the collaboration of Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors, Public Works, Councilwoman Marvene Noel, NRPA, Stantec, Playcore, Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise (CNE), Oak Grove Community, and former Councilman Anthony Byrd.

"We are thrilled to celebrate the completion of Lynbrook Park and welcome the local community to celebrate with us by visiting this beautiful new community space," said Kellie May, NRPA chief partnerships officer. "We are thankful to the many partners who helped bring this project to life and are grateful for the partnership with Chattanooga and the community. We are looking forward to hearing the stories and seeing the photos of this new community space in action."

Significantly, Lynnbrook Park is Chattanooga's first park project, which was identified through the Climate-Smart Cities decision support tool. The Trust for Public Land's Climate-Smart Cities™ program helps cities nationwide create parks and conserve land to meet the climate challenge. A flagship service of this program is the development of spatial decision support tools to translate goals from a city's strategic climate planning into priority sites for green infrastructure development through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology.

Lynnbrook Park is made possible by generous donations from DuMor, BCI Burke, GameTime, Freenotes Harmony Park, iZone Imaging, BestEx Signs/DRM Industries, Park & Play Structures, UltraSite/BarkPark, Musco Lighting, Sensodyne, TrafficGuard, and Victor Stanley.

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About Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors

Our Vision: In Chattanooga, everyone will have access to a well-loved, well-used and well-cared for system of parks, recreation and outdoor spaces that fosters community belonging and well-being and enhances our unique and breathtaking natural setting.

About the National Recreation and Park Association

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates - the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA's flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.

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