It’s hard to believe Carol Evans has been raising money and building parks for 20 years. But she has. Legacy Parks Foundation will turn 20 in 2025 and the staff and board are planning some big stuff. There’s a lot going on. We’ll recap Legacy’s projects with a link to its website for more information.
Evans makes it all seem like fun – while being incredibly creative in concept and design. Let’s look at Legacy’s five big projects:
Head of the Tennessee River Initiative: The Tennessee River begins in East Knoxville, where the Holston and French Broad rivers converge just four miles from downtown. Our Head of the Tennessee Initiative works alongside TVA, TWRA, Tennessee State Parks and local communities to increase public access to the French Broad and Holston Rivers from their dams to the head of the Tennessee River.
Follow this link to learn about Legacy Park’s work to improve Mutton Hollow Landing, Cruze Landing and Volunteer Landing downtown. The final stop on the Tennessee River is underway at the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm, another 3.5 miles downriver.
Beaver Creek Water Trail: There are many proud papas for this project. The big mama is Carol Evans. She saw a bunch of people getting wet and muddy floating from Powell to Karns on the creek. Her vision was to add adaptive docks at strategic locations. This means folks who lack mobility can swing into their kayak and go. It also means every other man, woman or child can swing into their kayak and go. No more getting wet, at least while entering and exiting the creek.
To date, Legacy Parks has built two parks along the creek – Roy Arthur Stormwater Park and Collier Preserve – and installed the first adaptive dock, Aubrey’s Launch at Powell High School Landing. Plans for two additional accessible docks and micro parks are underway for Karns Landing and Weigel’s Landing. Link to project.
French Broad Veterans Memorial Park: In 2018, Blue Water Industries donated a beautiful 8.5-acre parcel of land along the French Broad River to Legacy Parks. The property sits across the river from and overlooks the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on John Sevier Highway.
With hard work and lots of partners, Legacy Parks has met its $1.7 million fundraising goal, allowing for construction to begin in spring 2023. Donations are still being solicited to fund enhancements to the park design and create a maintenance fund. Once constructed, the park will be owned and managed by Knox County as a public park. Construction is underway and expected completion is spring 2025. Link to project.
SoKno Art Walk
Legacy Parks initiated Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness in 2008. It is now a regional destination with a 600-acre wildlife area, five city parks, historic sites, pristine lakes and dramatic quarries. One could say, “Why go to the mountains when there’s lots to do right here, free parking and less chance of being eaten by a bear.”
Legacy Parks is working with the city to expand South Knoxville’s 50 miles of trails and greenways and add adaptive docks to the 3-mile Tennessee River waterfront. The partners are creating a 3.8-mile rail trail through South Knox’s business district from Chapman Highway to Ijams Nature Center. This rail-to-trail conversion will also feature a 1.5-mile Art Walk created by Legacy Parks Foundation. Follow this link to learn more and plug in to this one-of-a-kind project.
Access for All Initiative:
Playing in nature should be inclusive for all users. That’s why we are working to create all-access, adaptive trails in each quadrant of the county, and adding adaptive access points along our waterways so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of being outdoors.
In the Woods – Learn about Legacy’s work at Sharp’s Ridge Veterans Memorial Park (north), Concord Park (west) and Dogwood Elementary (south) On the Water – Our Head of the Tennessee Initiative brings together TVA, TWRA, Tennessee State Parks, Knox County and local communities to increase public access to the French Broad and Holston Rivers from the tailwaters to the head of the Tennessee River. These new access points combined with two existing adaptive launches create the vision of a 25-mile paddling experience accessible to all. Link to projects
Outdoor Knoxville
We can see spring around the corner, and this is your best time to give back to your favorite park or natural area. Your best source for these opportunities is Legacy Parks’ Outdoor Knoxville events calendar, compiled by Elle Colquitt. Here.
Saturday, February 22
Volunteer Workday: 9 a.m. to noon, Seven Islands State Birding Park. Info: 715-630-6848. Register online.
Weed Warrior Extravaganza: 12:30-4 p.m., Several Locations. Info: Ijams Nature Center at 865-577-4717. Help us remove exotic, invasive plants from one of four natural areas: Collier Preserve, Dogwood Elementary School’s Mac Post Arboretum, Stanley Lippencott Park, or Morningside Park. Bring tools for digging, pruning, and pulling weeds, and gloves. Register online.
Saturday, March 1
Weed Wrangle: 9-noon, Seven Islands State Birding Park. Info: 715-630-6848. Volunteers will be working alongside park staff to remove invasive plant species. Tools and gloves provided. Register online.
Weed Wrangle: 9-1 p.m., Norris Dam State Park. Info: 865-426-7461. We are preparing for a re-planting of flourishing native species and could use help pulling the unwanted ones out. Register online.
Baker Creek Reforestation: 9:00 a.m., Baker Creek Preserve. Free. Info: Trees Knoxville at 865-333-0924. Volunteers are needed to help plant 200 saplings in a reforestation project at Baker Creek Preserve. Register online.
Mardi Growl: 11 a.m., World’s Fair Park. Free. Info: Young-Williams Animal Center at 865-433-9922. Pet parade kicks off in the Old City and travels on foot to World’s Fair Park. After the parade, visit the pet festival with vendors, food trucks, live music, games and more. Benefits more than 11,000 pets that need Young-Williams Animal Center’s care each year. Details online.
