The people at Chattanooga Parks & Recreation recently learned what everyone else in the city already knew: We have great parks. During a recent visit to the Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association’s annual conference, Chattanooga Parks & Recreation scored big, bringing home six out of the nine awards for which they were considered.
The selection process put the department up against Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and other larger cities. The best part: the variety of the awards, which included CPR’s STUNTING Program, the new Hixson Community Center, Marketing, Volunteering and others. The variety alone showcases the diversity of the department and its commitment to the public. Winning one is an accomplishment; winning six says they are doing something right.
Chattanooga Parks & Recreation maintains over 4,800 acres of parks, greenways and public green spaces throughout the city as well as the city’s softball fields, sports arenas, areas of public art and the downtown waterfront on both sides of the Tennessee River.
Chattanooga has close to 70 public parks, offers numerous programs and amenities at the city’s 17 community recreation centers, two public golf courses, five public swimming pools, the Chattanooga Zoo, the Therapeutic Recreation Program, Chattanooga Fitness Center, the city’s skatepark, three off-leash dog parks, 20 local ballfields and over 70 tennis courts.