State and local officials gathered Friday to officially open the Harrell Road Stormwater Park at 7221 Harrell Road in the Karns community. The park contains 22 acres and was built over 10 years as a stormwater demonstration project.
Pictured are County Commission chair Dave Wright; Wayne Hastings of West Knox Utility District; Carol Evans of Legacy Parks Foundation; Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett; Roy Arthur, the county’s watershed coordinator; Dr. Shari Meghreblian, deputy commissioner of Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation; County Commissioner Brad Anders and his daughter, Addie; Register of Deeds Sherry Witt, County Commissioner Evelyn Gill; and state Rep. Roger Kane.
“This is a very exciting day for Legacy Parks,” said Carol Evans. “It was 2007 when developer Scott Davis donated this land, and it was the first cooperative effort for Knox County and Legacy Parks. … Storm water was running into the creek and now it’s filtered through this park. … We hope our average project is not 10 years.”
Burchett introduced virtually everyone present, giving special credit to Roy Arthur for the park. And Dr. Meghreblian praised the “community pride and passion” that kept work going for 10 years.
The passive park can be used to teach stormwater management practices. It contains two constructed stormwater wetland ponds that divert neighborhood runoff, a rain garden, native vegetation, three-quarter mile walking trail, permeable parking lot and a kayak/canoe launch connected to the Beaver Creek Water Trail.