The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County Schools, Hamilton Parks & Recreation, and Impact Parks, officially opened the East Side Community Schoolyard at East Side Elementary School this week
TPL's Community Schoolyards program transforms underused public school playgrounds into vibrant, accessible parks that community members can enjoy outside of school hours. These new public amenities ensure that more people — particularly in neighborhoods where open space is limited — have access to great parks.
The May 12 ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by school officials, civic leaders, neighborhood residents, and East Side’s students, marks the completion of a landmark public-private endeavor that places new, quality green space within a 10-minute walk of more than 3,400 residents in the Oak Grove and Ridgedale neighborhoods.
A $200,000 contribution from the City of Chattanooga’s Department of Parks & Outdoors was matched by the Lyndhurst Foundation, Bobby Stone Foundation, The Howard Fund, and the Schillhahn Husky Foundation.Impact Parks, a division of Playcore, served as the conceptual designer and general contractor. The organizing efforts of Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise (CNE) led community engagement efforts in Oak Grove and Ridgedale.
“In areas where neighbors need more public space and schools need to make better use of their facilities, the Community Schoolyards program is a transformational investment that benefits everyone," said David Johnson, TPL’s Tennessee Parks and Schoolyards Program Manager. “We’re so grateful to the East Side community for helping us create this wonderful park that will make these neighborhoods healthier, stronger, and more connected.”
The design of the East Side Community Schoolyard incorporates months of community input, achieved through multiple workshops and public meetings with students, families, and neighbors. The completed project now includes the planting of more than 50 new trees on campus, a range of new play structures, and a turf soccer field that will also support the Chattanooga Football Club Foundation's Operation Get Active youth program.
“Transforming underutilized school playgrounds into thriving community hubs is a win for our children, families, and neighborhoods,” said Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp. “East Side Elementary holds a special place in the heart of our community, and we’re grateful to the Trust for Public Land and our partners for investing in a space that will serve students during the school day and bring families and neighbors together long after the final bell rings.”
Photography by J. Adams/Trust For Public Land