The state of Tennessee has awarded over $22 million to 31 communities that will expand local parks, trails, sports facilities and improve access to Tennessee’s great outdoors, according to a press release from the TN Office of Outdoor Recreation. Details here.
Problem is, not a penny is allocated to Knoxville, Farragut or Knox County, despite our having 7 House members and 3 senators looking out for our interests.
In fact, only four projects were funded in the multi-county area around Knox County:
Great Smoky Mountains Institute Inc., Blount County – $216,000. 2025 Tremont Institute Spruce Flats Falls trail rehabilitation.
City of LaFollette, Campbell County – $2,773,000. Development of a LaFollette Sports Complex (Phase I) including one access road, the initial parking lot with ADA spaces, three ball fields, a restroom/ concession building and ADA compliant walkways.
Town of Louisville, Blount County – $255,817. Renovate existing shaded seating area with new 30×60 pavilion, ADA parking improvements, sidewalk improvements, new park entrance.
City of Luttrell, Union County – $55,000. ADA playground equipment and surfacing upgrades.
This graphic shows the destination of the state recreation grants.
Looks like $22 million could have been stretched a bit better for East Tennessee.
Update on Rappelling for the Rivers (as of July 17, 2025)
On August 2, 2025, a few brave souls will rappel off the Park Vista Hotel in Gatlinburg to raise money for Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful. Pay or raise $1,000 to earn a spot.
As of July 17, the group has raised $6,855, or 7% of its $100,000 goal. So, if you’ve got a yen to fly off the Park Vista Hotel, join Kathleen Gibi in going “over the edge” with a $1,000 donation. Sign up and get the details here.
Notes and Quotes
All wind and solar energy projects on federal lands must now receive personal approval from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, per a memo released by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Cynics say this bottlenecks projects and could sabotage clean energy on public lands. Stay tuned.
Outdoor Knoxville: Legacy Parks Foundation and Elle Colquitt’s Outdoor Knoxville events calendar – has hikes, races and more for this week and next. Check it out here.
Best Bet: Friday, July 25, Volunteer Workday: 10 a.m., Seven Islands State Birding Park. Free. Info: 715-630-6848. Volunteers will be on land, helping to collect household debris and waste from an old landfill while state park rangers lower the collected trash on a slack line off a bluff into boats waiting on the French Broad River below. Register online.
Voting for people who care only about the potential for personal profit and not the communities they pretend to represent has consequences.
With regard to the state grant program, I noted that Williamson County got almost $3.5 million. I suspect that county has one of the highest per capita income levels in the state, and thus more influence in Nashville.
Plus, Gov. Bill Lee and Sen. Marsha Blackburn