Knox County Parks & Rec and volunteers from the Beaver Creek Kayak Club are monitoring Beaver Creek to keep the flotilla trail clear of debris. This year’s Flotilla, presented by FirstBank, will be Saturday, May 20. Charlie Austin and BCKC took floatmaster John Becker on a preliminary float this week. He was amazed at the beauty the creek has, Austin reported. “So much fun, so close to home!” Get updates at www.floatthebeaver.com/.
Also in Powell, work continues to raise funds to support the play stations around the trail in Angora Frog Farm. The trail is finished, thanks to American Rental Association and Toro. Angora Frog Farm will be a destination park for young children with BIG imaginations.
Join Legacy Parks and Missy Kane for monthly outings to complete the 75-mile Mountain Commerce Challenge. We’ll hike, bike and paddle to discover new places, socialize with fun folks, have fun and get fit. You can also complete the challenge on your own time – download the checklist and challenge cards. The adventures are free for Friends of Legacy Parks or $10 per event for non-friends. Additional fees apply for events requiring equipment rentals. Participants who complete the Challenge will receive a Mountain Commerce Challenge T-shirt and patch! Info and registration here.
Legacy Parks Foundation broke ground on April 25 for the Intergenerational Playspace at Beverly Park in north Knoxville. It will be the first park in the region to be purposefully designed to create active interactions between multiple generations, especially children and seniors. Legacy Parks was awarded a $150,000 two-phase grant from the Trinity Health Foundation to research, design and create the Playspace. The benefits are not just for children – playful interactions can also benefit older adults, supporting better health and social engagement, preventing cognitive decline and creating multigenerational learning opportunities. The Intergenerational Playspace is slated to open by October 2023.
Become a Friend of Legacy Parks: We believe in making a meaningful impact that lasts beyond our lifetime. Donations from Friends like you enable us to make a positive difference on our community for generations to come. Planned giving is a powerful way to support our organization’s future. Your gift will help us continue to improve and expand our parks, create close-to-home trails and conserve our green spaces that make East Tennessee such a beautiful place to live, work and play. We invite you to learn more about the benefits of planned giving by visiting our website or by contacting us directly. We would be happy to answer any questions and help you explore your options to best meet your financial and philanthropic goals.
Carol Evans is executive director of Legacy Parks Foundation.