Improving Chattanooga

The beautiful mid-sized city of Chattanooga Tennessee is located next to the Tennessee River. In spite of this serene sounding setting, this city has one of the worst air pollution ratings in all of the United States. Its residents have in the past faced many problems of job shortages, littering that matches septic truck spills, as well as division among racial and social lines. Many individuals in the community set themselves the task of fixing these problems as well as the many other environmental problems that the city continues to face on an ongoing basis. Chattanooga Venture is the program that these crafty people came up with to focus time and energy on improving life in this great city that is full of potential.

The first ambitious task of Chattanooga Venture upon its beginnings in the mid 1980s was to bring people together to discuss and plan the changes that would take place. These volunteers were then asked to dream about what their ideal city would be like, and nothing was too farfetched to be taken seriously, from increasing the thermal insulation materials in their homes to planting more trees and flower beds all around the community. The participants from the community set goals as a team and began the tough task of implementing those ideas one by one.

The goals of Chattanooga Venture were diverse. Their focus was to reduce toxins in the environment, including the air and water, as well as noise pollution and creating a more nurturing place for their children to grow and learn. This included building several top of the line daycare facilities staffed with knowledgeable professionals. The education of the older citizens was also important to the committee, and they set about increasing education for trades, as well as specialist programs such as electronic design and manufacturing. Today, many of the original goals have been realized.

The hard work and dedication of this important task force was recognized and appreciated by all members of the community and today the citizens themselves continue to clean up the town and improve the quality of life for everyone. The important aspects of life in Chattanooga are defined by its residents, not by the proprietors of Middlesex Ontario real estate, the government or any other outside group, and the pride that they take in their community is outstanding.

This success story underlines the importance of teamwork and a united goal or focus when it comes to improving communities. Partnerships are crucial to progress, along with the support for the projects and undertakings coming from local foundations, financial institutions, wall mounted boiler manufacturers and even public schools.

Today not only is the air and water much cleaner and safer in Chattanooga, the social issues that once plagued the city are a thing of the past. No matter what a person's social, financial or racial standing, all residents are members of the same community and they have embodied the spirit of teamwork in this great American city. Many individuals as well as organizations have been instrumental in the success of the Chattanooga Venture, and its success is proved by the state of the city today.