Angora Frog Farm is “for little kids with big imaginations,” so why do I get so excited?
Thanks to the gift of land from Arvin and Sabra Brown, this wooded park will be developed by Legacy Parks Foundation and then turned over to Knox County (with conservation easements attached to make sure it’s always a park).
It’s said that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Powell got lucky this week. Legacy Parks Foundation had the land and the plan. But it lacked the money.
Terry Turner
Terry Turner, owner of All Occasions Party Rentals, is a member and former president of American Rental Association, a trade group for businesses that handle party rentals (tents, tables, dishes, etc.) and equipment rentals. Every year they support a project in one of ARA’s 10 regions. This year was our turn and Terry contacted Carol Evans to see what Legacy Parks had going on.
That’s like asking a fox if she wants some eggs and a chicken.
The trail at Angora Frog Farm winds through the woods.
Carol told Terry about the Angora Frog Farm in Powell and they made it happen. In two days, April 19-20, volunteers from ARA and Toro, built a trail through the woods behind Arvin Brown’s house. With equipment from United Rentals, they graded and sloped the trail that Carol and Knox County Parks & Rec had laid out. They poured and packed crusher run gravel, and yesterday at dusk, I walked the trail. It was finished and the volunteers were gone.
Money for the rock and other materials came from a $20,000 grant from ARA and Toro with a $20,000 matching grant from FirstBank.
On Thursday, a woman and her dog, walking on the paved trail owned by The Crown College, were eyeing the graveled path into the woods, and I yelled, “Go ahead. Walk the trail. It’s yours.” They hurried away like I was crazy.
A friend said, “That dog looks thirsty. We need to get a water fountain here – one with three heights – adults, kids and dogs.”
No, I said. We’ll need four tiers. The bottom one for the frogs.
But frogs can jump, she said.
But frogs can’t jump and hold one leg on that bar at the bottom.
Angora Frogs are shy. Most people probably haven’t even seen one. But they are around at the Brown farm. Arvin’s elders even had a sign: “Angora Frog Farm.” I guess they come out at night.
And speaking of night, how about a trick-or-treat trail through the park at dusk. Kids can bring flashlights and maybe the lucky ones will see a frog.
Heavy-set older women have big imaginations, too.
Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today Inc.