A door does not open itself.
It takes a knock,
a voice brave enough to name the need,
another willing to answer.
—Erika Roberts, The Door We Walk Through, created for the Playbook Celebration on May 12, 2025
Leaders from The Enterprise Center welcomed guests from across neighborhoods and industries to celebrate a significant milestone for Chattanooga and the Historic Orchard Knob neighborhood. Friends, neighbors, colleagues, and partners united to honor the achievements made possible by the TVA Connected Communities grant and the launch of the Placemaking Playbook, a vital component of that success.
Marking a Project in History
Through the TVA Connected Communities grant, The Enterprise Center led work in Historic Orchard Knob, resulting in:
Smart home upgrades with 30+ homes upgraded
Public Wifi expansion with 21 public access points
Tech Goes Home classes that served 73 residents
A community resource hub
Chair exercise classes
Erika Roberts, creative strategist, poet and facilitator, led the celebration with a poem created to mark the end of this program and the launch of the next grant-funded placemaking work. During the grant work, Roberts led eight neighborhood residents through collaborating on a poem about the neighborhood and their experiences.
“I’ve collaborated on several different community projects in Chattanooga, and I’ve always felt like there needed to be some type of art to save its place in history,” Erika said. “Poetry works well for that. Even though the work of the TVA Connected Community program is complete, the community needed an end piece to put it together. Poems can earmark a project in history and allow us to be intentional about what we did for future generations.”
Taking a Different Approach to Work
Katherlyn Geter, Director of Placemaking for Healthy Communities at The Enterprise Center, commended partners and leaders for taking a different approach that started with listening.
“Our goal with Placemaking for Healthy Communities is to convene partners and identify effective strategies to improve health and well-being outcomes for residents in greater Chattanooga,” said Katherlyn Geter, Director of Placemaking for Healthy Communities at The Enterprise Center. “This event marked the completion of a successful program and served as a reminder of what can be accomplished when we work together to create vibrant, inviting spaces for all.”
Shifting How We Approach Community Engagement
Geter shared copies of the Placemaking Playbook with guests. The playbook, completed as part of the grant program, serves as a guide for other organizations, partners and community leaders to showcase work accomplished, vital partnerships, and strategies and takeaways for community engagement.
“Read about our lessons learned, how to engage with community members and how to sustain the work beyond the grant,” Geter said. “This book encourages a shift in how we approach community work and equips us with tools and strategies to engage differently by fostering relevance, impact, and sustainability in our efforts.”
Most significantly, the event convened the Historic Orchard Knob neighbors and partner organizations who made this work possible. The Historic Orchard Knob Neighborhood Association, Green|Spaces, EPB, TVA, Parkridge Health System and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga, Inc. all contributed to the success of the grant work.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the TEC team, Board of Directors and leadership for their unwavering dedication and to all of the Orchard Knob Collaborative partners for their ongoing collaboration,” Geter said. “I’m especially grateful for Orchard Knob leaders and residents for their vital support and for welcoming us into their community.”
