Work begins on McBee Ferry Landing Park

Our crews this week started work on what will officially become McBee Ferry Landing Park, a three-acre site along the upper Holston River that will feature water access. The Legacy Parks Foundation secured the land some years back and donated it to the county. It’s located on Old Strawberry Plains Pike off Andrew Johnson Highway.

“We have a crew cleaning up the area, removing some things and our carpenters are getting a game plan ready for what we need to do to the docks,” said Jason Haliburton, who is over the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department’s maintenance crew. “We plan to build three picnic areas, redo the parking lot and get the docks back safe and sound. It will be a pretty nice little park when it’s all done.”

And speaking of water access, The Powell Flotilla, which will kick off its fifth year this spring, will now be called the Beaver Creek Flotilla on the Knox County Water Trail. It’s set for Saturday, May 14. More details soon. We plan to hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. on Monday (3/14) at the kayak put-in at Powell High Landing near the high school. Here’s a hint: Someone is donating money to help with the kayak launch!

Work continues at the new Beverly Dog Park. We should have the fence completely installed soon and our carpenters have begun pouring the concrete pads and walkway. We hope to have an official opening with a ribbon cutting soon!

Speaking of dog parks, we reopened the one at Concord Park following clean-up after a tree fell last week and took out the fence. Our Concord Park crews is also getting the baseball fields ready for the season by putting down dirt and sand and working on the lights.

Our electricians also have been working on lights at Carter Park and Halls Park, and they fixed the timer at Ball Camp Park, so those lights should work now.

And, our plumber has been getting the water turned back on at the parks. We keep them winterized from about November through early March.

As Jason Halliburton said: “It’s go, go, go! Then we’ll be getting into the mowing season, so we’ll be doing that before too long.”

Of course, no weekly column would be complete without a mention of our one-man machine Frank Christian. He helped out with some drainage and landscape work at the parks and recreation’s administrative office; pressure washing at House Mountain; repaired some equipment; repainted and worked on an old truck “so it will serve the public well for several more years to come;” and helped put up new signs throughout the parks system.

On the recreation side, registration for adult softball at the Sportspark in Karns wraps up March 11. Fees are $350 and checks, cash and credit cards are accepted. Folks can register online or in person. Games begin March 21 weather permitting. To register online, go to knoxcounty.org/parks and look for “sports” and then “adult sports.” Please note, that if you haven’t set up an account, you will need to do that first. There will be eight games and a single elimination tournament at the end. The 70s men play only six games.

We also will be offering co-ed kickball on Wednesdays at the Sportspark. The season begins March 21. Stay tuned for more on that! For more information, contact jennifer.gentry@knoxcounty.org.

Enjoy these photos from work around the county: