Park ‘hole’ in North Ward, yet McFee to have 2?
There has been much discussion around the park/not-a-park behind McFee Park on the Scott brothers land.
There is no doubt the land purchase (initially approved by Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen but under a final review during its Thursday, Oct. 26 meeting) appears hasty and lacks significant public outreach.
But I have a different concern.
I live in the North Ward. While there are some parks — Mayor Bob Leonard Soccer and Baseball Complex and Founders (Park at Campbell Station) and whatever is built around Campbell Station Inn (Ralph McGill Plaza) — there is not a park for general purposes near the Grigsby Chapel-Union (Road) corridor.
Mr. (Michael) Wilson showed a chart during Citizen’s Forum this past Thursday (Sept. 28 during a BOMA meeting). On his chart is the Town of Farragut along with stars denoting where parks are located.
There is a hole in the middle of the chart along this corridor with no stars. Why is there not any park planned closer to North Ward residents and the central part of Town of Farragut?
BOMA is bent on spending $5.5 million for a potential future park that is closer to residents outside of the Town than TOF residents; some of the land is even outside TOF limits in Loudon County.
This doesn’t make sense. McFee is a great multi-use park — why do we need another one next to it?
Furthermore, there is open land available in the North Ward that is easier to access, has fewer tress and is more central.
BOMA needs to pause the purchase of the expensive tree-covered, sinkholed land to reconsider the needs of the North Ward residents.
Adam Atherton, Farragut
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