Last year, we shared the three concepts debuted for “Evolving Our Riverfront Parks,” a plan to activate and connect Chattanoogans to the Riverfront Parks — the collection of green spaces that run between the Tennessee River + Riverfront Parkway.

After thousands of residents weighed in during an extensive community-wide planning process, the City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, River City Co., and the Chattanooga Design Studio have revealed their plans for the space.

Remember the three concepts we mentioned? The plan presented is a combination of the best aspects of all three. The expert teams identified specific features from each of the designs based on what community members said were the most important to them.

To ensure the next iteration of the Riverfront Parks reflects the desires of the community, the team has established these guiding principles:

Honoring history
Connecting district corridors
Enhancing ecology
Providing shade + softening spaces

"This plan provides the opportunity to enhance large-scale events with infrastructure upgrades and amenities but also create a place that you would want to visit with your family on a summer afternoon." — Emily Mack, president + CEO of River City Co. | Rendering provided by River City Co.

Now, let’s dive into the plan. Note: Each distinct area is presented as a “porch.”

Memorial Porch
Serving as a space to honor local + national heroes, expect memorial statues and spaces for reflection. Additionally, a loading zone will be added under Olgiati Bridge to serve as an ADA-accessible drop-off.

Recreation Porch
There will be a series of courts to provide spaces for pickleball, basketball, biking + roller skating.

Everyday Porch
This porch includes shaded swings, tables with chairs to gather, a signature structure to serve as the centerpiece for a new playground, a watercraft launch, riverside perches for easier access to the river + a loading zone on Riverfront Parkway for a boat drop-off.

"This is another step forward in our journey to become America’s first National Park City.” — Mayor Tim Kelly | Rendering provided by River City Co.

Civic Porch
The Chattanooga Green will be improved with trees + places to sit under the shade. There will also be underground infrastructure enhancements to improve drainage, electric and water hookups, and places for food trucks to access easily.

Ross’s Landing will be home to a multi-purpose pavilion, providing shade for seating, lighting in the evening + high-quality sound and light systems for events. Additionally, an amenities station will be constructed to house a ranger station, public restrooms, and storage space.

Bonus: The Chattanooga Pier will also receive new lighting + seating sections.

Cultural Porch
The area across from the Tennessee Aquarium will become a storytelling trail + a grab-and-go style cafe is proposed for the edge of the park — additional food and beverage options will be explored through a study conducted by Hamilton County leadership.

This area will also see a refreshed + identifiable Riverwalk for easy navigation and traffic-calming measures will be added on Riverfront Parkway.

What’s next? The team will create design and engineering documents to guide the process of selecting materials + identify exact locations for installations. These documents will also allow for an overall cost to be determined for the renovations.

The first phase of construction is anticipated to commence after the Head of the Hooch in November 2025, with completion in early 2026.