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Warner Park reborn

Chattanooga: City celebrates $13 million renovation project

By: Kelley Smiddie
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Softball is all about teamwork, and that came across as Friday’s theme when the city held a grand reopening ceremony at nearly 100-year-old Warner Park.

Most of the park had been closed for renovations for a little more than a year. With city funds and contributions from the private sector, the project costing about $13 million began last summer.

The ballfield and land development cost $2.8 million, according to the Chattanooga Parks & Recreation Department. The zoo development, funded mostly by private concerns, cost nearly $4 million.

Nearby neighborhoods will benefit from stormwater improvements at the park, including the creation of a 3.9-million-gallon holding basin and a 2.87-million-gallon pump station. They cost $1.9 million. The construction of a wastewater storage facility is ongoing behind Frost Stadium. The estimated cost of that project, expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2009, is $4.7 million.

Mayor Ron Littlefield was among the many civic leaders present and addressed the crowd. So did local businessman and donor Jim Frost, for whom the stadium is named. He was supported by Greg Holder, Frost’s co-contributor in the revitalization project.

Littlefield predicted the renovations would “pay for themselves” within five years with revenues from tournaments the park could be expected to host.

Parks and recreation administrator Larry Zehnder announced plans for a Founder’s Wall to honor many key contributors to softball locally. A picture of its proposed look with a nearby fountain was on display at the ceremony.

“We want something with a little pizazz to it,” Zehnder said. “Something that shows we really do care.”

The city also experimented with an on-loan video camera and had a webcast of the ceremony at chattanooga.gov. Zehnder said the city has future aspirations of buying cameras for each field and having webcasts of games online.

Greater Sports and Events Committee president Merrill Eckstein acknowledged that the park’s refurbishing will help his organization’s case in its next proposal to bring the TSSAA’s Spring Fling back to Chattanooga. He expects the state organization request proposals after either the August or November Board of Control meeting.

“The only challenge we’ll have is baseball,” Eckstein said. “We’re good with the other four: soccer, tennis, track and field and this beautiful softball complex. We’re in great shape.”

The coaching community also came together at the ceremony. University of Tennessee co-coach Ralph Weekly said he made the trip because he was grateful of the support he and wife Karen received when their NCAA Division I coaching careers began at UT-Chattanooga in 1995.

“Unbelievable is about what I have to say,” Weekly said after looking over the softball complex. “I’ve been all over the world the last three years, and I don’t know that I’ve seen one better. It’s beautiful. It’s spacious. It has everything you could want. If you can’t bring top-level tournaments here, then I don’t know what it would take.”

After the Weeklys were hired at UT in 2002, Frank Reed became the Lady Mocs’ coach. UTC’s Frost Classic had been reduced to eight teams at one time to make it manageable to play on two fields. Reed said because of the restoration of the park he already has the tournament field set for 2009.

“We’ll have 16 teams and there’s already a waiting list for the future,” Reed said. “We’re looking at 32 maybe the next year. We’re pumped about it.”

An exuberant Dr. Dot Richardson, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who lives in Clermont, Fla,, also spoke briefly to the crowd. She had been contacted by the city to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

“I was very humbled and honored to be selected to be here,” Richardson said. “I’m excited to be part of this. Moreover, it’s great to see the citizens of Chattanooga, the mayor, the city council and the parks and recreation department all come together in business and step up and make a difference. It’s an awesome thing. That’s the best team. That’s what sports is all about.”

Richardson is also commissioner of the Pro Fastpitch Xtreme tour that will be making a Nov. 7-9 stop at Warner Park. A game featuring professional players will be held in conjunction with a scheduled amateur tournament. There will also be a coaching clinic and autograph session. For details go online at www.pfxtour.com.

As expected, the city posthumously dedicated the new concessions building in honor of longtime city employee Wilburn “Snooks” Nerren, a Warner Park fixture.

“When I first got here he came up to me and said, ‘Son. I’m going to have your team a place to practice and a place to play,’” Weekly said. “He did what he said, and I’ll never forget that.”

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