News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
West End Neighborhood residents want to see park additions that benefit the next generation of the neighborhood.
Cookeville Officials held an open meeting Tuesday night to see what developments neighborhood residents wanted. Multiple residents, including Natalie Okorji, spoke out that the community center has never been replaced.
“That facility that we had growing up, we had numerous activities, from arts and crafts, games, music, you name it and it was there,” Okorji said. “We could still do that today, and it’s necessary today for the children and not only for the children but for every age category.”
Okorji said when there was a community center, it provided a safe place for kids year round.
“It was a safe haven for us children while our parents were at work during the Summer,” Okorji said. “We would all go down to the community center and be safe because someone ran that facility.”
Other ideas included more swings, a scaled down basketball court with multiple uses and an expanded playground. Residents also asked for expanding lighting, restroom access and new water fountains.
Cookeville City Manager James Mills and Leisure Services Director Rick Woods hosted the meeting at McClellan Avenue Church of Christ. Mills said during the meeting that equipment for children is something the city could get to work on quickly. He said a community center would take more time.
“The building, we’ll have to get that designed, our architect would have to look at that,” Mills said. “We gotta see how it would fit and make sure there’s no water lines or sewer lines running under it, that kind of stuff will take a little more work.”
Okorji said the neighborhood has been told there would be improvements in the past, but feels confident something will be implemented this time.
Residents also expressed concerns about the homeless population in the woods around the multi-use field. Residents asked the city to increase evening police patrols and add signs about the park curfew.
