First Street Slide and Like Riding a Bike: Play Challenge Check-in
For the last Causeway Challenge, we chose 10 winners to receive $3,000 to implement a project that would encourage the concept of “play” in Chattanooga. Now we’re checking in on two of these projects to see the progress!
First Street Slide
For those of you that don’t remember, First Street Slide is a playful spin on urban design. Remember the funicular lift on First Street that has been broken for a few years? Ryan Sandwick, the mastermind behind this project, came up with an exciting design to turn that old lift into something new — a slide!
With a background in urban planning, Ryan has made huge progress on the project. Earlier this year, Ryan asked Causeway for advice on building momentum for his project because it required buy-in from a wide variety of potential stakeholders: some of whom he already knew, some of whom he did not. Causeway worked closely with Ryan to leverage existing relationships with the right folks to move First Street Slide forward in a big way. After much persistence and a lucky twist of fate, Ryan came back to Causeway several weeks later to deliver this exciting high five! Why? Ryan brought a number of key partners on board to take his project forward, including the City’s Public Works Department. They offered a number of supports to the project, local playground experts, and Chattanooga State students studying in the Construction Management Concentration. Not only was Ryan given the green light, but he received support beyond his expectations.
As a new resident and professional in town, Ryan said he had heard about the ‘Chattanooga Way’ over, and over, and over again. It wasn’t until he started working on this project that he began to understand what it actually means in practice. The ‘Chattanooga Way’ meant that he was able to turn $3,000 into a collaborative project with the City to animate an underperforming public space that had become a concern in the downtown community. He told us, “This kind of collaborative work is unique and probably wouldn’t happen in other cities — it’s a beautiful thing for Chattanooga.” Causeway agrees. It is exciting to be working in a city where something like this can happen with just the right amount of persistence.
While the design for the slide is still in the works, take a look at these mock-up photos for a sneak peek of what is coming soon.
Like Riding a Bicycle
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to many Chattanooga’s neighborhoods, but it takes time to get to know a place. Why not turn neighborhood exploration into a playful experience for the public? Like Riding a Bicycle is an artist-led bike tour and skill-share around the Innovation District. With this area emerging as an important aspect of Chattanooga’s identity, artists Katie Hargrave and Brett Hunter will be leading the tour to explore and uncover the past, present, and future of the Innovation District.
Katie and Brett have been busy preparing for the tour which will take place on Saturday, April 9th. They’ve been hard at work on their project: meeting with business owners, designing fun project materials, and finishing the schedule for the tour.
Causeway asked for a hint about what stops would be included in the tour and Katie was eager to share about a trial stop they did recently with Lauren Haynes from Wooden Spoon Herbs. Project leadership was taken on a wild plant walk of the Innovation District by Lauren. Lauren’s work involves preserving the old medicine of the Appalachian region by making it available to a broader audience and honoring the history and small-business culture of Chattanooga. Katie told Causeway that she “was surprised by how many valuable plants there are growing in cracks in the sidewalk! The list of wild medicinals and wild edibles is much longer than people would imagine.”
Does this pique your interest yet? The Innovation District is full of surprises, but there’s only one way to find out what else will pop up on the tour. Be sure to RSVP for this free event through their Eventbrite page and invite your friends!
