Sylvan Park Day of Caring
On September 19th, NCNA joined United Way in a Day of Caring at our Sylvan Park Project. The NCNA Green Spaces committee wants to give a big thanks to all our neighbors who joined us, to the Young Professionals of Chattanooga (YPC), United Way, and Elder's Ace for your energy and investment in our community.
On September 19th, NCNA joined United Way in a Day of Caring at our Sylvan Park Project. We had over 20 volunteers onsite furthering our neighborhood green space initiative.
Day of Caring at Sylvan Park Bird Sanctuary, Sept. 19th
The group filled up 9 large trash bags with garbage, pulled countless invasives like english ivy and privet plants, and collectively set the stage for the new trail connectivity work in the near future.
The NCNA Green Spaces committee wants to give a big thanks to all our neighbors who joined us, to the Young Professionals of Chattanooga (YPC), United Way, and Elder's Ace for your energy and investment in our community.
Thanks to the volunteers who removed invasive privet!
Trailbuilder, Barry Smith, and his team will be in Sylvan Park this fall adding a new entrance, as well as a trail that will connect the park up to Colville Street. We are excited because the path will provide a valuable connection to Forest Avenue for neighbors near Sylvan who don’t have any sidewalks, as well as a way for everyone to enjoy the bird sanctuary and beautiful reclaimed green spaces.
Also, using the funds that we raised through our campaign, we have ordered benches, a picnic table and waste receptacles that the Chattanooga Parks Department will install soon. After everything has been installed, we will add new signage to the park!
Stay tuned for our next work day at Sylvan Park and other ways to get involved in our neighborhood green spaces!
Great to see our NCNA members and leaders at Sylvan Park, also!
And thanks again to all of the Sylvan Park Green Space Initiative Sponsors: the Wallace and Campbell families, the Wright family, the Wright Payne family, the Hunter family, the North Shore Merchants Collective, Sally and Andy Michaud, the Grassy Patch Crew, the Taylor family, and the Poole family.
Treasure Found During Trash Pickup!
Family treasure returned after neighborhood trash pick up day.
At our neighborhood clean up day, a neighbor came across this old cast iron mailbox sign that had a name and address for a home in Red Bank. The neighbor brought the sign home, cleaned it up and set out to look for its owner.
Cast iron mailbox sign found in the Sylvan Park Bird Sanctuary!
Turns out the family still lives at the home, and he was able to return the sign to the son who hadn’t seen the sign since he was a little boy. The son now has the mailbox sign displayed in his home, and his sisters have been equally overjoyed to be reunited with the bit of family history.
We loved the story of the trash collection turning up a treasure! Makes us wonder what other glimpses of Chattanooga’s history we will uncover as we continue to reclaim the space at Sylvan Park.
Sylvan Park Update: 42% of funding raised!
Update on our fundraising efforts for Sylvan Park!
Preliminary design for Sylvan Park Improvements
As of today, thanks to the generosity of many neighbors, we have raised 42% of the estimated funds needed for our partnership with the Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors to reclaim the Sylvan Park Bird Sanctuary. We have raised these funds through the sale of NCNA merchandise and through the generosity of multiple smaller donations to the park, and the bulk of the fundraising has come through the support of our sponsors.
An overview of sponsorship opportunities:
New Path Sponsor: The Campbell and Wallace Families
The Campbell and Wallace families are sponsoring a path from the existing path through the woods to the new park entrance on Noll Street, which will be recognized on a sign at the entrance.
New Picnic Table Sponsor: $2,500
1 available
You will be sponsoring a new picnic table, which will be recognized with a plaque on the table, where neighbors will enjoy relaxing in the park with a picnic.
New Sitting Spot Sponsor: $2,000
3 available, 1 sponsored by an anonymous donor
You will be sponsoring one of the new sitting spots / benches that will be spread throughout the newly revitalized park, and your support will be recognized with a plaque on the table. These seats are essential for any park visitor to be able to enjoy the bird sanctuary and natural beauty of this quiet and reflective space.
New Waste Receptacle Sponsor: $500
2 available, 2 sponsored by the Wright-Payne family and the Hunter family
You will be sponsoring one of the new waste receptacles in the park, and your support will be recognized on a park sign. These receptacles are essential for keeping our revitalized park litter-free and providing a place to put pet waste.
New Welcome Sign Sponsor: $400
2 available, 1 sponsored by Sally and Andy Michaud
You will be sponsoring one of our new park welcome signs, which we will be installing one at each of the three new and clarified entrances to the park to welcome visitors and increase the visibility of the park
New Educational Sign Sponsor: $200
4 available, 2 sponsored by the Taylor family and in memory of Angie and Austin Poole
You will be sponsoring one of our new educational signs around the park that will share interpretative touch points, directing visitors to the natural space, as well as to the history of those who have inhabited this place before us.
Sylvan Park on our recent snow day!
If you are interested in one of the remaining sponsorships, please complete this form and purchase your sponsorship here.
As the weather allows, Wise Construction will be donating labor and the use of their equipment to clear the path from Colville Street to Sylvan Park. We are applying for a variety of grants with the hopes of hiring the Southeast Conservation Corps to install the other essential trail elements. If you have experience grant writing and would like to help with these efforts, please reach out to us at northchattanooganeighbors@gmail.com.
Thanks for supporting our NCNA Green Space Initiative, we look forward to seeing this park filled with children heading to play basketball at the Wyatt Community Center, urban hikers connecting from North Chattanooga to Stringer's Ridge, bird watchers observing wildlife and commuters walking safely to the many businesses at the base of Forest Avenue and more. We believe that this vision is consistent with the National Park City goals that many Chattanoogans supported when signing the charter for the National Park City initiative. Forest Avenue connects to the Walnut Street Bridge, so this will be another park option for visitors to our city who are looking for a quiet place of natural respite and adventure close to the city center. There seems to be limitless potential for all who will benefit from this park and trail.
Investing Locally This Giving Tuesday
This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to invest in our amazing North Chattanooga community by supporting local initiatives that make a difference.
Consider purchasing hats, stickers, or T-shirts from the North Chattanooga Neighborhood Association to help fund our efforts to improve Sylvan Park.
You can also contribute directly to our Sylvan Park revitalization campaign through the Green Spaces Initiative, or consider asking your employer to participate as a sponsor of one of our new park components or sponsoring in honor of someone important in your life!
Sylvan Park Sponsorship opportunities. Your business or family name will be honored on park signage for your sponsorship!
3. Your time is just as valuable—volunteer with our "Welcome to the Block" program to greet new neighbors. Sign up here!
4. Or join the "Play Streets" Initiative to create safe and fun spaces for kids and adults to build community. Sign up here!
5. Additionally, you can support families in our local school community by donating food and clothing. Drop items at the Normal Park Upper or Lower School, or you can put them in the tupperware bin on the porch at 1022 Normal Avenue.
Food Items Needed: Mac and Cheese, both the box and the microwavable; Canned veggies, fruits, and soups; Individually wrapped breakfast bars, granola bars, etc.; Snack items, gummy snacks, cracker packs; Fruit cups and apple sauce; Cereal boxes, both large and individual sized; Ramen; Peanut Butter both large jars and small individual ones; Pasta noodles and Sauces; Jugs of water
Clothing Items Needed: new girls black or grey leggings or joggers with a drawstring pants size small (6x), size medium (7/8), size large (10/12) and size x-large (14/16)
6. You can also lend a hand by clearing covered or overgrown sidewalks (or reporting them via 311) to help keep our neighborhood more pedestrian-friendly.
7. Support our local businesses who pour so much into our community. Get food from Tremont Tavern after they were impacted by a car accident this week. Purchase books from The Book & Cover (It might cost a dollar or two more, but they provide so many free community programs!). Schedule a haircut at Hair A Go Go or Geno’s Salon. Purchase local art from Amy Packer, Marian J. King or In Town Gallery.
Every act of generosity helps strengthen our neighborhood and build a more connected, caring community!
Sylvan Park Update: September
Sylvan Park draft plan incorporating NCNA Survey Feedback!
At the September NCNA meeting (9/5/2024), we heard from the Department of Parks and Outdoors regarding our first Green Spaces Initiative: Sylvan Park Revamp. For the last month, sheep have been grazing on non-native plants, helping clear the forest floor and paving the way to reemphasize native species. Most exciting, we reviewed a planning sketch that incorporates the feedback and comments collected during the GSI Survey.
Note: This draft sketch is for planning purposes only and is contingent on our shared, continued success of partners and funding.
Fundraising efforts to support this cause are underway. The next Beautification-Sustainability Committee meeting is scheduled for October 17th - 7pm at a member’s house near Sylvan (reach out for exact address if interested). We will see the latest progress in the park and discuss the individual elements involved with the private-public partnership that has been driving this initiative.
Please note: Do not feed the sheep! This can cause serious harm to the animals.