Knox may double length of Beaver Creek flotilla

Mike DonilaOur Town Outdoors

We’re hoping to more than double this year’s stretch along the annual Beaver Creek flotilla. How is that for some potential good news?!

Cross your fingers. It’s not etched in stone. But we’re trying!

Officials in the Mayor’s Office, the Parks and Recreation Department and commission chair Larsen Jay met on Monday for a monthly update on the Knox County Water Trail.

For those who don’t know, the Knox County Water Trail is a 44-miles stretch of navigable water that runs through five communities between Clayton Park in Halls and Melton Hill in Hardin Valley.

A key part of it is a 2-mile piece that runs from Powell High School to the Weigel’s store at 7505 Clinton Highway. Each year the community hosts a flotilla that sees more than 100 kayaks, canoes and paddleboarders make their way down the stream. The event is designed to showcase the creek and its designation as a water trail.

As we continue to clear out Beaver Creek, we realized that it’s possible to extend the flotilla route all the way down to Roy Arthur Stormwater Park off Harrell Road. That would add an additional 2.45 miles to the journey. The flotilla is set for Saturday, Aug. 14, so we’re working as quickly and safely as we can. We’ll have to bring in some contractors to oversee a couple of major blockages so that could eat up time.

We have set a mid-July deadline to make a more official announcement. We hope!

Dog parks

We were asked for an update on some dog parks we plan to build.

As you might recall, the Boyd Family Foundation gave the city and county each five dog-park grants that total $500,000 ($250,000 each) in order to make Knox County and Knoxville the “Most Pet Friendly Community in America.”

After public input, the following county locations were selected: Beverly Park, New Harvest Park, the SportsPark, Powell Station Park and Clayton Park. Under the terms of the grant, the parks must be complete within two years.

We were recently asked about New Harvest Park. We have started the grading work, but we’re going to hold off until the department’s new senior director, Joe Mack, comes on board, which will be July 6.

I wish I had more of an update but that’s where we stand right now. I hope to have more news in the coming months!

Maintenance

Our one-man machine, Frank Christian, has been hard at it again – like always! He’s been painting picnic tables, doors and the parking lot at Alcoaway Park and the tables and parking lot – and cleaning up graffiti – at Melton Hill Park.

Our carpenters, too, have been doing great. They added benches to the East Knox Park dugout and finished work on the softball batting cage there.

The construction crew finished installing the new rubber surface at French Memorial Park and Maloney Road Park and they’re moving on to complete the surface at Mascot Park. We hope that one is finished by mid-July. As noted previously, we were waiting on some parts and supplies, which is common due to Covid-19.

In addition, our folks at Concord Park spent some time clearing fallen trees along the trails there.

Our crews also spent time putting sand out on ballfields for football at Tommy Schumpert and John Tarleton parks. And, we have crews looking for dead trees at Gibbs Park and doing overall playground inspections.

Engineering & Public Works

As always, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the great work the Engineering and Public Works Department has done.

Here’s a snapshot:

  • 5212 John Hall Road – ditch line repair
  • Kennedy Road – Asphalt approach paving up to Strawberry Plains Pk to make smooth transition
  • Perry Road – Asphalt approach paving up to Strawberry Plains Pk to make smooth transition
  • Osborne – Asphalt approach paving up to Strawberry Plains Pk to make smooth transition
  • Wayland Road – Asphalt approach paving up to Strawberry Plains Pk to make smooth transition

Those, of course, weren’t the only departments firing on all cylinders this week. The folks over in the library system also have been working on some items. (Separate story)

Meanwhile, here are some photos of this week’s work:

Mike Donila is communications director for Knox County government.

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