Public Hearing on Thursday at City Hall  

The City of East Ridge submitted an “Intent-to-Apply” letter to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for the Local Parks & Recreation Fund grant on February 15, 2023. The Local Parks & Recreation Fund (LPRF) provides grants to eligible local government entities for the purchase of lands for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreation facilities. The funds may also be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas, and greenways. All grant projects must be on publicly owned land. The City will submit the full grant application by April 15, 2023.

If selected, the City of East Ridge plans to renovate and expand the existing Community Center at 1515 Tombras Avenue. Currently, the East Ridge Community Center’s gymnasium does not meet regulation standards to host tournaments. This project will also include ADA compliant renovations to existing restrooms, senior room, and community center kitchen. The City of East Ridge is requesting $1 million dollars in grant funds to assist in the renovations.

“With the existing amenities located around City Hall, including the newly constructed Pioneer Frontier playground, Splashpad, and Dog Park, it is vital for our community that we continue to move forward in updating our facilities including the existing Community Center, “said Cameron McAllister, Administrator for the City’s Economic & Community Development department.

The City of East Ridge opened the Pioneer Frontier playground and Splashpad in 2022 after completing construction funded through the LPRF grant in 2018. The City recently constructed the East Ridge Dog Park located behind City Hall in 2022 with funds made available through the Boyd Foundation’s Dog Park Dash grant.

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) requires eligible applicants to construct a 5-year plan for their community’s recreation plan and for the applicant to host two separate public hearings to allow for citizen input and involvement. The City of East Ridge plans to host two public hearings in the coming weeks.

The first hearing will be held at East Ridge City Hall on Thursday, March 23, at 7:00 pm. The second hearing will be held at East Ridge Community Center on Monday, April 3, 2023, 6:00 pm. For more information regarding the LPRF grant, please visit TN.gov or contact the City’s Economic & Community Development department at 423-867-7711.