East Chatt YFD Center – Glass House Collective

Planning By Doing Workshop: Meet the Teams + Projects

mary — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 21:04:28 +0000

Planning By Doing Workshops:
Meet The Teams and The Projects!

Things are moving quickly with the Glass Street Gateway Planning-By-Doing workshops and hopefully, by now you have already seen some of the exciting results installed within a 5-minute walking radius of the new Save A Lot. Two of the teams have already left their marks near the YFD and Hardy Elementary!

Stay Excited! All of the projects from the workshops will be complete between Fall 2020 and Spring of 2021 when we get busy with the next phase of the gateway improvements including an asphalt mural on Crutchfield Street.

MEET THE TEAMS

Team Homebase presented ideas on the beautification of the ‘Homebase’ – the intersection of Dodson and Glass Street. According to a local community leader, Pastor J, paying homage to a baseball diamond, Homebase will be a meeting of corners, “to inspire a sense of home and community.” This temporary installation will include ‘the looking glass’ which is a piece of movable art with different prompts such as words of encouragement, community resources, pieces of advice, or simply something to be admired or viewed while looking through it. “Everyone from different walks of life will come to this area.”… “In order to speak to everyone to reimagine their future no matter what they are going through.”

Hardy Glass Development Team brainstormed on a safer route to and from Hardy Elementary and presented their ideas after hearing feedback from local parents and teachers on the need for safety improvements for pedestrians and children crossing along Roanoke and Glass Street. This includes encouraging safer routes and wayfinding for students and pedestrians. The Hardy Elementary mascot is the eagle so this team plans to create stencils to paint on the sidewalk leading up to the intersection and crosswalk. This team also identified a curve near Hardy where vehicles travel at a fast speed. To draw attention to the school zone the team proposed yarn art and fence art to slow traffic.

The Guardians of Sidewalk Team also presented their ideas on safer commuting to and from Hardy Elementary. Noticing that crosswalk signs malfunction, the team assessed existing infrastructure in order to meet project budget and future cost considerations. Because the north-sidewalks are more appealing due to length, continuity, and minimizing crosswalks, team members discussed the use of colored routes, highlighting bike lanes, and installing a crossing guard replica at the intersection of Glass and Dodson to slow traffic and create awareness for the pedestrian zones.

The members of You’re a STAR Team pitched the idea for the area’s very own Walk of Fame. The installation will be located on the sidewalk from Crutchfield to Daisy in proximity to the YFD. This installation includes a stenciled field pattern designed by local students from Hardy Elementary, spray-painted stars mentioning local community heroes, and an opportunity for expansion through future phases.

The GATHER Team focused on the open spaces around the Save-A-Lot grocery store. With the store being a new anchor for the community, the emphasis was creating a space that includes models for safety, seating, lighting, accessibility, beautification, art, and engagement. Entitled, Create A Recipe – this installation includes large wooden letters that are movable ‘furniture’ that spell LOVE and serve as a functional use for seating and eating.

Glass House Collective has been following this community-informed design process with our neighbors and partners since the organization’s inception. We began focusing on this intersection several years ago through a creative community engagement process, which resulted in more than 300 residents identifying landscaping, safety, and beautification as community priorities in the Glass Street Gateway. You will begin to see these projects pop up from now until the spring to complement the new Asphalt Mural on Crutchfield Street. E-mail info@glasshousecollective.org if you’d like to get involved.

We say thank you to our dream team of partners, friends, neighbors, and GHC staff for making this happen including AIA-Chattanooga, Street Plans, Bloomberg, Lyndhurst Foundation, and the Chattanooga Design Studio.

Partnering for Summer Fun

Whitni McDonald — Sun, 03 Jun 2018 22:31:26 +0000

Glass Street will bustle with activity once again this summer as partner organizations and local parks offer families and neighbors plenty of options. If you want to get involved and entertain young ones out of school, the neighborhood is full of chances to connect, build, and explore.

As usual our local East Chatt YFD Center will be offering sports-based summer camp with the chance to experience some field trips as well. Interested families should not wait to sign up, as the conveniently located camps fill quickly. This year, Cameron Williams (aka C-Grimey) plans to add some more arts and music based elements to the traditional programming. During the recent Chamber of Commerce sponsored job fair, he said “I’ve been hosting these history of hip-hop classes each Wednesday here at the center, so I know the enthusiasm is building.”

Nearby Sterchi Farm trailhead park has received a huge facelift from a joint effort of Public Art Chattanooga and the Trust for Public Land. Artist Adam Kuby’s climbable sculpture installation was unveiled last month with some of our neighbors and board members in attendance. Outdoor Chattanooga also sponsored demonstrations of kayaking and SUP (stand-up paddle board) techniques. One of our board members, architect Jared Hueter attended the April 28th “Clamber, Scramble, Traverse” event with his children. “This is a unique park creating a water and trail connection to the downtown riverwalk system via the South Chickamauga Creek and Greenway– a very cool local resource.”

One of the best ways to enjoy the Sterchi Farm trailhead is via bicycle, and anyone interested can receive advice and bike repair at the Resource Bike Co-Op. They are located right next door to Rondell Crier’s Studio Everything on Glass Street and throughout the summer they’re planning to be open Tuesday and Wed. from 4-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-9 p.m. Anyone wanting more info can contact Zac or other co-op members at 423-521-0249.

Just across the street from our GHC offices, Mark Making will host Magic Markers 2018 : a one week work readiness program for EAST CHATTANOOGA teens (14-18) that focuses on citizenship, written word, design and entrepreneurship. Participants will have the opportunity to create, market and distribute wallets of their own design reflecting their ideas on citizenship. The young artists will also be able to receive compensation on a sliding scale depending on demonstrated level of professionalism and the strength of their wallet design. Due to limited space, there are only 24 spots available, so interested teens should hurry to apply via the link above.

If you or another local partner knows of more resources not highlighted here, please send and email to our Community Relations Manager, Nicole Lewis (nicole@glasshousecollective.org) or stop by to share brochures during our regular office hours so we can post and share info.

We hope all of our friends and neighbors will stay safe and have fun this summer!

All Together for Glass Street LIVE!

Tara Poole — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 15:41:31 +0000

2017 Glass Street LIVE is our 4th annual block party event on Sunday afternoon October 8, with a brand newsite at the Dodson Ave intersection, asking how it can evolve according to various neighbors’ ideas and priorities. Glass House Collective is collaborating with Boyce Station Neighborhood Association and Shannon Burke of Bike Walk Tennessee to host the final neighborhood block party of City Celebration, a city-wide festival focused on alternative transportation methods like biking, skating, and walking.

Come enjoy the grand finale of the day, where the Glass Farm neighborhood meets the Boyce Station and Avondale neighborhoods, at the intersection of Dodson Avenue and Glass Street! Our neighbors want to see change and improvements there, and together we can test and demonstrate ways to make this busy link between Hardy Elementary School and the East Chatt YFD Center safer and more welcoming for the families using these resources daily!

We will have a community parade, live music, local food vendors (including some of the best BBQ anywhere in Chattanooga!), a pop-up farm stand, dance competitions, and a chance to participate in temporary crosswalk installations that are colorful, safe, and we believe can be as effective in attracting permanent design improvements as these same tactics were when we started work with Better Block at the Chamberlain Ave. and Glass Street intersection 4 years ago! Catch the spirit of Glass Street LIVE by watching last year’s video on our YouTube Channel!

Want to get involved? Please fill out our Online Interest Form!

We’re excited to include lots of community vendors, information booths, and VOLUNTEERS! Food vendors are being carefully curated to prioritize sales for local eateries.

Interested in showcasing your business as an official Glass Street LIVE sponsor? Find details on our website’s Sponsorship Page!

Let friends know about our party by sharing our Facebook Event Page!

See you in October!

Art Bikes on Parade!

Tara Poole — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 21:14:11 +0000

We received generous individual donations to help bring Art 120’s Urban Art Bike Camp to life right here at the East Chattanooga YFD Center during the first two weeks of July! The kids who followed the process through to completion were awarded certificates during a special cook-out lunch and Art Bike Expo at Coolidge Park last Saturday, July 15.

In spite of the rain sprinkles, the kids had a blast showing off their bikes to the comments and cheers of curious park visitors. Lexi Buckner proudly displayed her Dia de los Muertos style “Skull Bike,” complete with a skull helmet to match.

Meanwhile Eve McClure created a sparkly-pink “Ladybug Bike” with 7″ records attached to the wings as the spots. Eve was headed to a 50-year family reunion directly following Saturday’s picnic, and her grandfather confirmed that “Ladybug” has been Eve’s family nickname for years.

Coreyun Richardson created a swivel “Race Car Bike” that’s particularly tricky to maneuver, although he makes it look easy. Because he wasn’t able to come out to the ride on Saturday, he received his certificate the next week in front of his fellow campers at the East Chattanooga YFD Center.

Thanks to committed donors and the time investment from Art 120’s caring and talented instructors, Urban Art Bike Camp accomplished its two biggest goals:

1. Exposing a new generation of local youth to the fun and challenge of safely using professional welding tools to construct original Art Bike designs.

2. Creating three new Art Bikes for Art 120’s fleet of whimsical bikes to be ridden during this year’s Glass Street LIVE parade on October 8 as the finale event for City Celebration.

In addition to those outcomes, the site selection–partnering with East Chattanooga YFD Center– provided campers there with unique exposure and proximity to the welding and design work underway. Mr. Drake, director of East Chatt YFD, was very pleased with the respect shown to the space and the artistic element the team brought to the regular pace of summer camp. “It was very exciting to watch the bikes take shape and see the dedication the kids put into the process. I think it’s really neat what they set up, and I know they’re all enjoying it so much,” Mr. Drake said last week.

When Outdoor Chattanooga came to provide a bike safety rodeo for the students, Kate improvised with Mr. Drake so all the kids at East Chatt YFD Center’s camp learned bike safety that day. As for the next steps, the bikes have generated anticipation for the upcoming Glass Street LIVE block party this fall, and several local youth at the East Chatt YFD Center like Kadesha Cook remembered building puppets for last year’s parade, and are eager to try their skills out on the bikes this time around.

Kate Warren, director of Art 120 says, “While only our campers had access to power tools and welding, the youth at the Rec Center crowded around our teachers as they taught students how to change a tire and replace a bicycle chain. By the second week, Coreyun was able to ride his special hinge bike and everyone at the Rec Center cheered him on and took turns riding. Now we have a lot of kids that want to build an art bike too.”

Check out video footage including interviews with the participants on our YouTube channel HERE.

Sponsor an Urban Art Bike Camper!

Tara Poole — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 17:56:19 +0000

Click HERE to sponsor a kid to participate in the Urban Art Bike Camp. We appreciate the support and thank you for helping us reach our $2,000 fundraiser goal!

Glass House Collective has recruited Art 120’s 2017 Urban Art Bike Camp to the East Chatt YFD Center. The camp will empower local youth to design and create welded art bikes to ride in the Glass Street LIVE block party parade, the grand finale event of City Celebration, a city-wide progressive bike party directed by Shannon Burke on October 8.

Art 120, under the direction of Kate Warren, has experienced challenges following the devastating fire at their former maker space, so when we approached her with the idea of returning to the Glass Farm neighborhood, she stepped up with enthusiasm! (See the Art 120 YouTube video link HERE) We’re so glad that Mr. Drake, director of the East Chatt YFD Center, was so supportive of the idea, as the center provides an ideal temporary home base this summer. We’re enthusiastic about local kids here on Glass Street gaining access to welding and artistic design experience, within walking distance of their own homes!

Warren kicked things off this week (June 26-30) with the Teacher Training followed by the 2 week camp program (July 3-14), in which campers will be expected to commit and follow-through with learning the techniques and carrying out their plan to create the bikes they draft and imagine, all within a slim operating budget. In order to recruit and fund 12 campers, Glass House Collective has assisted with outreach and facilitated planning meetings in order to generate our creative partnerships in this neighborhood (Art 120 + East Chatt YFD Center). As a final celebration, campers will head to Coolidge Park for a showcase of their bikes and presentation of certificates in front of family and friends on July 15.

By the end of Urban Art Bike Camp, a fleet of 3 new sculptural art bikes will be ready to pedal down Glass Street as a part of the Glass Street LIVE parade on October 8, showcasing the artistic talent of local East Chattanooga youth. Shannon Burke’s Ciclovia City Celebration biking event to highlight various Chattanooga neighborhoods is exciting, and we’re proud that Glass Street LIVE is the finale block party of the whole day! Working together, we also recognized an opportunity and need to bolster local kids’ cycling experience and ownership so that they feel truly included. By building their own creations with Art120, Glass Farm neighborhood youth can take pride in pairing their welding skills with bike safety experience.

As Warren recalls, “The kids who made bikes here on Glass Street in 2012 still carry those skills and memories. This is a neighborhood bursting with creativity. We’re excited to be pumping new life back into the Urban Art Bike initiative, partnering with Glass House Collective to discover what a whole new set of 11-14 year-olds here can dream up and create.”

Again, you can click HERE to sponsor a camper! Give a local Glass Farm neighborhood kid the full Urban Art Bike Camp experience! Help us meet our $2,000 contribution goal! Your contribution makes a huge difference– Thank you!

Community and Police Engagement

Tara Poole — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 17:48:02 +0000

Dr. Everlena Holmes has recently collected local leaders and community representatives to re-establish the Baker North CPIC Meetings at the East Chattanooga YFD Center. We’re excited to hear about her enthusiasm to bring this important community safety gathering back to life. Last Saturday, Feb. 18, the CPD hosted a presentation by Officer Joshua Austin, about how to identify the active gangs around Chattanooga, with special attention given to understanding symbols and colors used by the gangs most active in the Baker North precinct.

Following the presentation, Dr. Holmes took role call, to determine the amount of participation from various neighborhood groups. She was happy to report that this first revived meeting was attended by 22 community members from across 3 local neighborhood groups: Avondale Neighborhood Association, Glenwood NA, Boyce Station NA, Glass Farms Block Leaders, GNN, and ECI (East Chatt. Improvement).

Saturday’s meeting could not have occurred without the initial planning meeting that Dr. Holmes organized in January 2017.

Participants in the initial planning meeting included:

Lt. B. Burns, Commander of Baker North
Melba Luca, Wheeler Avenue Neighborhood Watch & Avondale Block Leaders
Monica Burke, Avondale Neighborhood Association
Jamesetta Gray, East Chattanooga Improvement, Inc.
Janette Richie, Glass Farm Block Leaders and Good Neighbors Network
David Morris, Bushtown Neighborhood Association
Linda Carter, Orchard Knob Neighborhood Watch
Cora Lanier, Boyce Station Neighborhood Association
Olga de Klein, Baker South CPIC Coordinator
Jeffery Evans, Glass Farms Neighborhood
Ed Walter Harmon, Glass Farms Neighborhood
Johnny Patmon, Glass Farms Neighborhood

Dr. Holmes especially appreciated the presence Lt. Burns as CPD Commander and his eagerness to mingle and listen to residents to bring leadership to Baker North. The information Olga, from Baker South, shared with the group helped the group gain a better understanding of how CPIC Meetings are conducted. Her part of the planning conversation played a major role in understanding protocol and mission for CPIC going forward.

CPIC, formally known as Community Police Interaction Committee, brings together members of Chattanooga’s communities and its police officers to further an authentic community policing culture, and promote dignity, understanding, and respect in police and community interactions.

We encourage our neighbors involved in Good Neighbor Network meetings who want to improve Glass Farms neighborhood to share their ideas and concerns with police officers and meet some of your neighbors at these monthly Baker North CPIC meetings which are slated to take place every 3rd Saturday of the month.