News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville residents voiced opinions Thursday night on a proposed new park south of Interstate 40, with the biggest concerns being sewage problems in the area and traffic.
Leisure Services wants to build out 16.6 acres on Old Sparta Road off Highway 111. Resident Jim Sanderson said he has witnessed sewer problems where the park will be built.
“There are some issues with that land, it has a lot of water that drains off it into the back of my house,” Sanderson said. “With that being said, everybody that lives down that road knows that sewer system breaks constantly, I get a river of sewage in my back yard. If your going to put anything more than basic bathrooms, I wish City Council would consider replacing the sewer system.”
Sanderson said that if the city wants to put in a slash pad, they need to fix the sewer system. Resident Bill Brown said he worried about the traffic trying to cross Highway 111.
“The park is going to bring more traffic in the area, is the city looking at putting a stoplight at 111 and old Sparta?” Brown asked.
Community Development Director Jon Ward said the city has done a safety analysis at the intersection but he has not heard of it needing a light.
Woods said the possibility of putting a traffic light at the end of Old Sparta Road on Highway 111 was discussed when the land was purchased.
Resident Amanda Diiorio said Cookeville has plenty of parks for young kids, she would like to see a park more welcoming toward older kids.
“How many parks can we continually gear towards children but then we have people in the community that upset because the older kids are riding their bikes in the existing parks and on the rails that are made with concrete type of thigs,” Diiorio said,. “I think maybe a gearing towards not your five to thirteen year old kid, but we need to include the teenagers in this area.”
Resident Megan Reagan said she has seen other parks open up to older children by adding a pump track. Woods said the department has plans to install such a facility at Cane Creek in the future.
The public shared other ideas for the park such as a fenced in dog park, pickleball courts, basketball courts, slides, swings, food truck spaces, and walking trails.
Leisure Services taking the public concerns and suggestions to put together a plan for the park. The department will use these to apply for the BlueCross Healthy Place Grant. Woods said the park is not in the 2024-2025 fiscal budget so if Cookeville does not get awarded the grant, the funds would have to be included in the next fiscal year’s budget.
