On Saturday, March 10, the Town of Signal Mountain will host a Sparkle Day clean up effort sponsored by the Signal Mountain Lions Club. The event will begin at 9 a.m. and lasts until noon at Althaus Park, behind the Signal Mountain Country Club at 809 James Blvd. Participants will meet at Althaus Park and split up into groups in order to canvass “Clean-Up Zones” designated by the Sparkle Day organizers. The initial zones will be Taft Highway, Shackleford Ridge Road, Shoal Creek, Lena Givens Park, Rainbow Lake Land Trust and James Boulevard. As more people participate additional zones will be added to the event. “We hope a lot of folks come out and join the fun and festivities, as we help to clean up our mountain byways," said councilmember and event organizer Robert Spalding. "This event was very successful last year and we’re hoping that we can build on that success this year. In addition we’re asking the people of Signal Mountain and Walden to form street teams in their own neighborhoods, in order to clean up their general vicinity.” He said, “Sparkle Day was initially an event that took place back in the '70s on Signal Mountain formed by Realtor John Rankin. It was always an eco-friendly event and was a tremendous success. So far, from the reaction from Sparkle day last year was tremendous, and we hope to bring that energy back to the event on March 10. We’ve already received an enormous response from many community groups who wish to return and participate in 2018”. After the clean-up a celebration is planned at Althaus Park, including awards, music, food and games. The event is co-sponsored by the Signal Mountain Lions Club and the Town of Signal Mountain. Additional information can be found at www.facebook.com/signalmountainsparkleday, or by emailing info@signalmountaintn.gov or calling (423) 886-2177. Over the past several years, the Signal Mountain community has participated in a race that is a celebration of its people and locale. The Signal Mountain Pie Run will be held again on Saturday, October 21, at the Signal Mountain Athletic Club at 315 Ault Road. “The first Signal Mountain Road Race was 1975, making this the 42nd annual run,” said race director Bill Minehan. The idea for the race itself seemed to come about because of a love of nature and community. “A guy named David Presley really appreciated the view of Signal Mountain and started the race around that time.” The length and format of the race has changed a few times since the event’s inception. “The distance has changed over the years, with a period of time as a 10K (6.2 mile) race, followed by many years as an 11K (6.7mile) race,” Minehan said. It has since become a 10K race again. “The current format of the race as a Pie Run can be credited to Signal Mountain resident Lee Davis, modeled somewhat after the Bemis-Forslund Pie Race in Massachusetts, perhaps the oldest continuous foot race in the country,” Minehan said. The Signal Mountain race has been in its current format since 2003. It is also important to note how the race operates, and there is one aspect that cannot be overstated or overlooked: the pies. “The Bread Basket makes about 100 homemade apple pies that we give out to the runners,” Minehan said. Pies are guaranteed to runners registering by Thursday, October 5, but they must show up on race day and finish the race. There will be several awards, including male and female winners in several age categories. Also, participants may predict their completion times, and there will be monetary rewards for the three runners closest to their predicted finish times. There’s not a lot of hoopla about this race, and it is hoped that this remains the case, as the original reason for the race was to simply enjoy the scenery of the mountain and the comradery of the community. “As long as I’m involved with the race, I appreciate keeping it a low frills event, and keeping the format of the pies and the prediction run as it is,” Mr. Minehan said. Who can argue with pies? The race starts at 8 a.m. The registration fee is $20. Register online at the Chattanooga Track Club website, and find out more information on Facebook. The Town of Signal Mountain wants your input! Signal Mountain is in the process of developing a bicycle and pedestrian plan. This plan will identify the town's existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and make recommendations about where and how that infrastructure can be improved. The involvement of citizens who walk, bike, and drive in the town everyday is crucial for creating a plan that works.
There are two ways to participate in this planning process: 1.) Take the Signal Mountain bike and pedestrian online survey. The survey has 18 questions, and should take around 15 minutes to complete. 2.) Attend a drop-in open house on Monday, October 30, from 5-7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1111 Ridgeway Ave. The open house will give citizens the opportunity to view and provide comments on different elements of the plan. The town thanks you for taking the time to provide your feedback. Signal Mountain is a wonderful place to live, and planning for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure can make it even better The Town of Signal Mountain and the Signal Mountain Lions Club have partnered to bring Sparkle Day back to Signal Mountain. Sparkle Day is a designated day when Signal Mountain residents come together to collect trash from the city’s streets and byways. The organized cleanup will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, and conclude with a celebration at Althaus Park with awards, music, food and games. Participants will meet at Althaus Park and split up into groups in order to canvass “Clean-Up Zones” designated by the Sparkle Day organizers. The initial zones will be Taft Highway, Shackleford Ridge Road, Shoal Creek, Lena Givens Park, Rainbow Lake Land Trust and James Boulevard. “We hope a lot of folks come out and join the fun and festivities, as we help to clean up our mountain byways,” said Councilmember Robert Spalding. “This event was very successful last year in 2016 and we’re hoping that we can build on that success this year. In addition, we’re asking the people of Signal Mountain and Walden to form street teams in their own neighborhoods in order to clean up their general vicinity.” Additional information is available on Facebook, by emailing Signal Mountain Town Hall or calling (423) 886-2177. |