Matthew DeBardelaben had a 1-hour conversation with the lead planner from Perez Planning + Design. He says he was impressed with the rigor of the study and is excited about the future of Knoxville’s indoor and outdoor spaces.

At first glance the 224 -page plan is overwhelming. DeBardelaben would like to offer some suggestions on how to digest it.

  1. The plan is designed to develop a framework that leads to the next level of discussion and be a tool to help City staff address these improvements over time. The key words are framework and tool.
  2. The plan is a requirement by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), to secure state funding. We need that funding.
  3. The plan includes a list of private, State, and Federal grants that the City can apply for (pages 204 – 208).
  4. The plan includes criteria that a City Capital Projects Committee would use to determine what to recommend we build/repair/remodel/acquire next (pages 212 – 217).
  5. I found it useful to review the results of the study with a grasp of page 199, which contains the proposed vision legend for the entire city. Where are basketball courts recommended? Tennis courts? Playgrounds? Etc.
  6. I then went back to the pages that rate the conditions of each category under the Parks and Rec umbrella—
  • Indoor Centers (page 163)
  • Walking Loops (page 167)
  • Natural Areas (page 171)
  • Water Access (page 172)
  • Parks (page 175)
  • Pools (page 177)
  • -Basketball Courts (page 178)
  • Diamond Fields (page 179)
  • Dog Parks (page 180)
  • Outdoor Fitness Stations (page 181)
  • Outdoor Pools and Swimming Areas (page 182)
  • Playgrounds (page 183)
  • Pickleball Courts (page 184)
  • Rectangle Fields (page 185)
  • Splash Pads (page 186)
  • Tennis Courts (page 187)
  • Hiking Trails (page 188)
  • Mountain Bike Trails (page 189)
  • Expanded Greenways (page 190)
  1. I encourage you to provide thoughtful and positive feedback by the March 17th City Council vote.

Here is the link to the study https://playknoxvilletn.com/ and the link to provide input https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=109562&pageId=20766455.

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