lettertotheeditor
Reader wants 15-acre North Ward park
During the McFee parkland purchase, I raised an issue that the North Ward neighborhoods in and around the Kingston Pike and Everett Road intersection were not within walking or biking distance to a local park.
These neighborhoods include Fox Run, Ivey Farm, Saddle Ridge, western Fox Den, Camden Grove, McKinley Station, Split Rail, Andover, Old Stage Hills, Old Stage Farms, Wentworth and the Renaissance Condos. Children in these neighborhoods must cross Watt Road to get to the nearest park, which is unsafe due to the level of traffic.
As part of this discussion, I recommended that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen contact Goodall Homes and seek a deal for their land at the northeast corner of the Kingston Pike and Ivey Farm Road intersection. There are approximately 15 acres that abut a creek and land designated as open greenspace. This is the only remaining vacant large lot suitable for a small park for these local residents.
A park in this location provides several benefits and has many advantages. First, this land is on our main entrance into our Town. A nice park would make a statement on the importance to parks and greenways to our Town. Perhaps including a memorial for veterans and first responders in this location would be a nice addition to our Town.
Second, this land is in close proximity to local greenways and could make a critical greenway connection between the north and south side of Kingston Pike. This location would provide local access to a park for children in at least 12 neighborhoods. This location provides a level of equity in the placement of parks within the Town.
The land is currently planned for commercial development; transition to park space would decrease the traffic flow along this section of Kingston Pike.
This is likely the last opportunity to purchase any additional property in the North Ward for park purposes. Just as the Town recently invested $5.5 million in the additional land along McFee Road, the recent placement of a “for sale” sign on this land offers the Town an opportunity to provide additional access to park space in the North Ward.
The only way this happens is if residents call and write their BOMA members and insist they pursue this property with the owner.
A deal might not be possible, but if they don’t ask the answer is no. The land is for sale. If we, the residents, stay quiet on the matter, this land will sell and we will get yet another commercial development on this section of Kingston Pike.
Personally, I believe green space is much more appealing and provides more benefits to the community than another tire store, dentist office, coffee shop, etc.
I encourage all that agree to immediately reach out to the Mayor and Aldermen or show up at the next BOMA meeting and speak up during Citizens Forum and ask them to pursue this land for our next park.
Michael Wilson, Farragut
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