Preserving Parks… only this time in Downtown Nashville
We typically think about elevating the importance of green spaces on the edges of Nashville, but a recent, last-minute notice from the Nashville Downtown Partnership pushed a couple of Chestnuts to drop their plans one morning in October head down to Church Street Park – right in the center of downtown across from the Downtown Public Library.
Knowing this tiny park had been under threat of getting covered by a building – and also being on the lookout for an organization TCG might partner with on future painting ventures in downtown, when I saw the posting about the NDP sponsoring painting in the park during lunch that day, I sent board members the notice. Two of us were able to make it last minute.
Sarah Clinton and I painted the people who showed up to participate in the painting program and forged a solid network to build upon in the future should TCG want to stage paintouts in Nashville’s bustling downtown. We met a wonderful woman who “animates the downtown spaces” as part of her role at the NDP. We also got solid support for the potential to host a show and sale in conjunction with the right type of event in a downtown venue.
Generating activity in these public spaces is the key to their success and protection from being encroached upon by development. We firmly established with the Nashville Downtown Partnership that The Chestnut Group is one local resource they can count on to help Nashville in its quest to protect trees and public green space.
For more background on Church Street Park: https://www.civicdesigncenter.org/the-impact/projects/churchstreetpark
