Leisure Services Will Share Master Plan First Draft

Cookeville’s Leisure Services Department will unveil the first draft of its 10-year recreation master plan at a Monday public meeting.

The draft is the result of research, surveys, and comparisons done by consulting group Kimley-Horn in partnership with the Leisure Services Department. Director Rick Woods said the master plan will as a road map for how Cookeville can improve its recreation over the next decade.

“Whether it’s changes in policy, or whether it is development of new park spaces, or building facilities and adding new amenities, those things take a while,” Woods said. “That is one of the reasons it is a 10-year plan, and not a plan for next year.”

According to Woods, they received 1,600 responses from the Leisure Service’s’ survey and that he looks forward to the plan Kimley-Horn has drawn up based on the public input they received. Attendees will be able to provide commentary on the survey results, as well as get a preview for designs of upcoming projects.

Woods said they plan to get the final draft from Kimley-Horn by June or July.

Woods said he predicts any cost estimations for projects listed in the plan would most likely be part of the presentation of that final draft. Woods said he is looking forward to what Kimley-Horn has brings to the table in Monday’s presentation meeting.

“Just seeing how we compare to other departments, I’m looking to see what people think of our operation as it is now, what our community thinks of that, where they think our weaknesses are, how we can improve,” Woods said. “It’s just good to get that public feedback.”

The meeting will also be streamed via Zoom, and those interested in that option can get the meeting ID and password by calling Cookeville Leisure Services at 931-520-4386.