Residents 1st consideration on McFee courts changes: Burnette
In favoring the opportunities of residents at large versus those of grade school tennis teams after hearing from Town of Farragut Alderman Drew Burnette, changes to McFee Park Court Rental Regulations, Hours and Fees, were approved by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen by a 4-1 vote during BOMA’s Thursday, Aug. 25, meeting.
The changes were recommended by unanimous vote of the Town’s Parks & Athletics Council, on which Burnette serves.
Though Mayor Ron Williams, Vice Mayor Louise Povlin and Alderman Scott Meyer originally wanted the Council to hear from all schools within Town limits who might have an interest in reserving time on the courts during their spring seasons — two speaking on behalf of Farragut High School girls and boys tennis teams were heard during the meeting — Burnette said, “I don’t think anything will change no matter what’s brought back” to the Council.
Burnette referenced a Council “mindset” that focused on “what needs to be available for the community. … We started with the mindset of, ‘what do we think, for this residential park, should be available to the residents?’
“We’ve already tagged Mayor Bob Leonard as a very different regional attraction park,” he added.
While representatives for FHS — former Alderman Ron Pinchok and the school’s tennis head coach Gordon Cassidy — wanted the amended courts shutdown time extended from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., “For the committee, it did not matter what the demand was from schools,” Burnette said.
“The residents’ use is key,” Williams said.
The lone vote against the changes came from new South Ward Alderman David White, saying he was against “anything that would extend play past dark, because I don’t think the lights are there legally.”
Meanwhile, Williams said, “My concern will be: when will the next two courts be finished?”
This would add to the four existing courts at McFee. “... For sure we’ve got one more season the way it is, so possibly the next season will be with two more courts,” he added.
“We’ll be bringing you a design for that soon,” Town administrator David Smoak said in reference to Town staff presenting the design to BOMA. If those designs are approved, “probably about this time next year, I would imagine we would be pretty close to having the (new) court available.”
Regulation changes
Sue Stuhl, Parks and Recreation director, and Lauren Cox, Park manager, also recommended the following court changes:
• Courts would be available to reserve during the field/court allocation process in January and June by schools located in the Town of Farragut only, and no later than 6:30 p.m. each day (end time).
• Courts must be rented by 3:30 p.m. the day of the rental in order to be on the schedule and to have lights when needed.
• Non-school rental hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with a 9:45 p.m. lights out.
• Fee of $10 per hour for tennis, $5 per hour for pickleball and $10 per hour for basketball per court with a rental limit of four times per week. Changing to one-hour blocks is to simplify the scheduling process.
The court lights do not come on unless there is a rental (lights not available for drop-in use).
“Currently, the courts must be reserved at least 12 hours in advance,” Stuhl said. “Courts are always available for drop-in use at no charge. … There are QR codes at the entrances of the courts. Anyone can scan it and see if there’s a reservation or not.”
While Stuhl said “our rental hours have increased dramatically” for the four courts, she added, “taking out the school equation, it’s about 6-to-1 pickleball-to-tennis for reservations.”
Burnette also suggested it would “make sense to adjust (non-school court hours) seasonally.”
“I think that sounds like a fair compromise that we need to really consider,” Povlin said.
Although no such provision was added upon voting, “It may be amended?” Williams asked. “Yes,” answered Povlin, who made the motion to accept the Council-suggested changes.
Pinchok said the suggested school change to 6:30 p.m. would not leave enough time for the FHS tennis teams to play seasonal matches (March into early May) at McFee Park.
Saying four hours would be needed (beginning at 4 p.m.), not two-and-half, Pinchok also said the FHS boys and girls seasons would involve “looking at five days that they want to play until 8’oclock the whole year. … If you approve (6:30 p.m.), they won’t be able to play their matches at McFee Park.”
“Do we give (similar) days for Concord Christian (School)?” Alderman Scott Meyer asked. “And what happens to St. John Neumann, which is also a very important school? … And Knoxville Christian School, also?”
However, Meyer also said he’s “not for or against this right now. I’m just a little uncomfortable when I hear the high schools want to use the courts.”
His bottom line: “How do we fairly allocate assets owned by the Town for school use?” Meyer asked.
Povlin said it was important to “understand what the demands of the other schools are.”
Pinchok pointed out the schools reserving the times “are paying for these courts; they’re not getting them free.”
