2022 Year in Review
By Doug Carlson on December 31, 2022
The Lookout Valley Greenway Alliance (LVGA) has been busy over the last year or so advocating for a greenway system in the valley along with a connection to the rest of Chattanooga. We wanted to provide a brief review of what we’ve been up to since our inception, and let you know what’s on the horizon.
Community Kick-off Meeting – October 2021
30 plus people attended the first meeting of LVGA at the John A Patten Center gazebo, where we introduced the Lookout Valley Greenway Alliance to the community and explained the mission. Jim Johnson provided an overview of the benefits of greenways within a community, and we gather names of folks that wanted to get involved.
Lookout Valley Neighborhood Association Meetings – Various Dates
LVGA representatives attended several LVNA meetings at John A Patten Center to provide updates on LVGA activities and share ideas.
4th of July Celebration and Bike Give-Away – July 2022
LVGA set up a tent at the celebration at John A Patten Center to discuss our mission. Local residents donated 8 children’s bikes which were then re-homed to children in the community. We also had a bike mechanic available to provided free tune up services.
Historical Hike with Ranger Ogden – October 2022
National Parks Ranger and Historian, Jim Ogden, led a group of around 25 residents on a 2 mile hike through historical Parker Lane, a hidden gem of greenspace in Lookout Valley. The goal was to highlight the historical significance of the area and show a potential route for a greenway connection between Lookout Valley and the rest of Chattanooga.
Stakeholder Meetings – Various Dates
LVGA members attended several planning/exploration meetings to advocate for our mission. These included meetings with RPA, the City of Chattanooga, Thrive Regional Partnership, Tennessee River Gorge Trust, Trust of Public Land, Lyndhurst and Benwood Foundations, and several engineering firms.
Upcoming Activities
In 2023 we plan to stay active, with the next event being at the Lookout Wild Film Festival, where we will have a table set up on January 14th to educate attendees about LVGA. We are also considering another historical hike with Jim Ogden for the Spring. Please let us know if you have any thoughts, ideas or suggestions for additional events or activities. We would love to hear from you!