Mother Nature held back the rain Friday morning long enough to allow the Collegedale community to gather and cut the ribbon on the long-awaited Little Debbie Park.
The kids ran off to play, climbing the gigantic Cosmic Brownies. Some sat on the enormous Oatmeal Crème Pie chair, while others squealed with joy riding the zip-line. People, young and old, took selfies in front of the Christmas Cake sculpture, walked along the lavishly manicured green trails, and made their way up the tall hill.
Developers, dignitaries, and city officials thanked each other for all the collaboration, cooperation, and hard work in developing what McKee Foods Government Relations Manager Connie Vaughn said was the vision of one man.
“This was Rusty’s vision,” she said. “To have a park and preserve greenspace for the community.”
Rusty McKee, the Executive Vice President of McKee Foods, said the idea for the park came about one day, years ago, during an after-dinner conversation with his sister Debbie. He realized the mostly rural community he grew up in was starting to grow and be developed.
“In a short time, this whole city is going to be concrete,” McKee said to those gathered as he recalled his conversation with his sister. “And I said if I can find some parcel of land and build a park would you help me?”
McKee said the city was reluctant at first. They had plans to increase their tax revenue by developing the area with commercial buildings, restaurants and apartments.
“The passion I had was not just a regular park, I wanted it to be a nature park,” McKee said. “The passion I had was to build a hill high enough with trees and grass that it would hide man-made structures.”
McKee Foods purchased the 10-acre plot from Southern Adventist University with the stipulation that the land be donated to the city for use as a park and include open green spaces and playgrounds equipped to include people with special needs. More than 400 trees and 5,000 shrubs were planted along greenway connections to and through the park. A large pavilion with restrooms, running water, electricity and picnic tables are near the parking area with smaller pavilions and installations throughout the park.
“I’m glad that our city leadership were visionaries to recognize that long-term, more people would want to live around a community that have places like this for the families.” McKee said.
“I’m so glad that Rusty won this battle, and this didn’t become retail,” Collegedale Mayor Marty Lloyd said. “This park represents who we are as a city. We are about family. We are about community. As a city we are acknowledged and recognized for having green spaces and parks where families can come and enjoy time together.”
Lloyd thanked the McKee family for their vision as well as their financial support for the project.
After the ribbon cutting local Chattanooga artist Alex Paul Loza, unveiled his sculpture of the iconic Little Debbie. First, he thanked the McKee family for commissioning him to create the statue.
“My wish with this sculpture is that many of you that have been eating Little Debbie Snacks since your childhood and also for the new generation that are starting your Little Debbie Snack journey, to just see themselves reflected in it (the statue) and to know that anything is possible,” he said prior to unveiling his life-sized sculpture. “Enjoy our city and always contribute back to our community.”
Little Debbie Park is located at 4698 Swinyar Drive in Collegedale behind the Commons.