Over the past century, Montague Park has served as a city landfill, a recreational sports center and a renowned sculpture garden.
Chattanooga Design Studio will now guide an urban design and landscape planning process for this 100-year-old civic space in partnership with Chattanooga’s Department of Parks & Outdoor Recreation and other community stakeholders.
Beginning in the fall, a 10-person steering committee of park stakeholders and community leaders came together to select a national-level planning and landscape design firm to assist the community in reimagining Montague’s role as a 21st century park and creating a comprehensive plan for its revitalization.
The design process will begin in early 2023 and will be structured to solicit input from residents in surrounding neighborhoods and primary user groups.
Sculpture Fields of Montague Park and the Chattanooga FC Foundation, both of which are current leaseholders at Montague Park, along with the Main Street Farmers Market have been involved in the selection of the design consultant and the planning process.
One of the primary goals of this effort is to prepare a vision for integrated uses of Sculpture Fields, Chattanooga FC Foundation and Main Street Farmers Market.
After nearly two months of meetings, the steering committee of community representatives and Montague Park stakeholders selected Reed-Hilderbrand, a firm that has made a name for itself in the activation of public spaces and parks throughout the U.S.
Notable works by Reed-Hilderbrand include the Buffalo Bayou Gardens in Houston, the Bestoff Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, New York.
The reimagining of the park follows the death of John Henry, the celebrated sculptor who led the effort in transforming the northern portion of the park into a world-class sculpture collection.
The Lyndhurst and Benwood foundations are providing support for Montague Park planning.
Source: Chattanooga Design Studio