The Harrell Road Stormwater Park is getting a new name. In a ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, the park will be renamed the Roy Arthur Stormwater Park.
Arthur, a Powell resident, has been the watershed coordinator for Knox County since 2003. He was the hands-on developer of the stormwater park at 7441 Harrell Road which includes a kayak put-in to Beaver Creek, wildflowers and a walking trail. The park was designed to filter stormwater before it flows into the creek.
Roy Arthur
Commission chair Larsen Jay sponsored the resolution to rename the park. He calls Arthur the stormwater king. He said everyone is invited, but parking is limited. He recommended carpooling.
Prior to joining Knox County’s Stormwater Department, Arthur spent 20 years managing a small diamond tooling company in Powell.
Arthur was a leader during the Ragsdale administration, along with Margaret Massey-Cox, in facilitating the purchase of property adjacent to Powell High School (the old Gill lumberyard and home) which is now Powell Station Park. He was a founder of the Beaver Creek Watershed Association which met monthly and was the precursor of current efforts to create the Knox County Water Trail.
The Beaver Creek Watershed Association led efforts to build the Halls greenway including the wetlands area behind the Halls Branch Library.
Roy worked with Dr. Bob Collier to facilitate the land purchase/donation for the current Powell Branch Library on Emory Road. Roy implemented several watershed improvements there such as permeable parking lot surface.
Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today.