Our parks and greenways say a lot about us as a community. They show how much we value outdoor activity and the opportunity to enjoy nature, whether it’s a nap on a picnic blanket or a stroll through the woods. They also provide a way for us to get from here to there without a car. Farragut has always valued these things. That’s why we have such tremendous outdoor facilities, and why we continue to add more.
This year, the Parks & Recreation Department, with help from the Parks & Athletics Council, created a new 10-year master plan. The process kicked off in early 2021, when input was collected from focus groups made up of town committee members and survey responses from over 900 households. The public was invited to rank the projects at four public meetings as well as comment on the draft version of the master plan.
The Farragut Parks & Recreation 2022-2032 Master Plan was approved and adopted at the May 12 Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting and is currently available here.
Future projects are ranked near-term (2022-2024), mid-term (2025-2028) and long-term (2029-2032). Since it’s most exciting to think about amenities that will be available soon, the Farragut Insider is happy to highlight a few of the near-term projects:
- Lighting on the basketball court at McFee Park
- Two additional tennis courts at McFee Park
- A hiking/biking/running trail at McFee Park
- A dog park and restroom facility at McFee Park
- Shade structures over a few of the individual tables at McFee Park
- A shade structure at McFee Park basketball court
- Additional permeable paver parking lots at McFee Park
- Expanded community-level special events, especially at the Town Center Green
- Restrooms at the Town Center Green
- A concert stage (built or portable) for use at special events
- A restroom at BlueCross Healthy Place at Town Hall
- A small trailhead with parking and interpretive signage and trail to the Red Mill Dam
- A greenway connection between Brookmere and Sheffield subdivisions
- A greenway link along Evans Road between the current terminus and McFee Road
One thing to remember is that more amenities mean more to maintain. While it will be convenient to have additional public restrooms in Farragut, each of those restrooms will need to be cleaned and repaired by staff, which requires continuous funding. That’s why many of the items in the long-term section of the parks master plan are maintenance: resurfacing greenways, replacing turf fields and replacing splash pad elements.
Another noteworthy part of the new parks master plan is that public amenities are continuously being improved to make them more accessible. ADA improvements aren’t just the right thing to do – they’re required by federal law.
Since Farragut doesn’t have a property tax, the town must be thoughtful about adding new amenities. We want our public spaces to be beautiful, accessible and in good working order for years to come. Through good planning, we can make it happen.
Town of Farragut marketing and public relations coordinator Wendy Smith is your reliable Farragut insider.