Russell Gilbert

Residents of the Washington Hills neighborhood wanted a useable football field so badly, they started bulldozing the area themselves.

Ten years later, they celebrated another milestone in their efforts to create the field — a new concession stand — at the neighborhood’s May Fest on Saturday.

“It’s been a long process,” said City Councilman Russell Gilbert, who led the Washington Hills Neighborhood Association in the fight for a football field about a decade ago. “There’s one (a concession stand) in Tyner, one at Middle Valley, one in Hixson and now one in Washington Hills.”

The concession stand puts residents one step closer to completing all of the goals for the football field in the community’s master plan, he said. Walking trails, a pavilion and air conditioning for the gym — described in community’s master plan — will come in the future, he said.

The purpose of the concession stand is to generate funds for the community and little league football teams, he said.

Rhonder Seeber from the Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Department said crowds at every recreational event differ, but two-thirds of the people attending a game usually buy something from the concession stand and they spend about $2 each. So a crowd of about 500 people could generate about $700 after expenses, she said.

The concession stand comes nearly a decade after the late Leroy Smart used his own bulldozer to clear trees near the football field in hopes of having a useable field with a walking track and walking trails as indicated in the community’s master plan.

Since Mr. Smart’s actions in 2000, the City Council approved $174,000 for a field renovation in 2003 and $400,000 to renovate the recreation center the following year.

The concession stand grand opening was only one of the highlights at the neighborhood May Fest, which also included a neighborhood parade, yard sales, food and entertainment.

“We’re trying to build a better community through neighborhood unity,” said Jackie Dowell, who coordinated the festival.

Washington Hills has about 1,000 households.