Knoxville’s Amazing Network of Trails, Parks and Waterways - Memphis Daily News

Knoxville’s Amazing Network of Trails, Parks and Waterways - Memphis Daily News: “These are so much faster to construct than greenways; in the time it takes a mile of greenway to be built we can build 30 miles of trails,” Evans adds.

REI grant funds new pedestrian, bike bridge in South Knoxville | WATE 6 On Your Side

REI grant funds new pedestrian, bike bridge in South Knoxville | WATE 6 On Your Side:



KNOXVILLE (WATE) – REI is giving the Legacy Parks Foundation and Appalachian Mountain Bike Club a grant of $20,000. Executive Director Carol Evans said the money will be used to build a pedestrian and bicycle bridge.

The Urban Wilderness pedestrian bridge cross Redbud Rd. It will allow trail users to avoid crossing the road at a blind curve.

Related: Knoxville wins $100K bike trail grant

“We’re connecting another area of land, a big park, into the existing Urban Wilderness trials, so really it expands us closer to the middle school and brings parks into other neighborhoods,” said Evans. “Even though it’s just a bridge over the road, it’s a critical connection.”

Appalachian Mountain Bike Club

New bridge will connect two major sections of trail - Marie Meyers Park to the system being built on the 100 acre Wood Property.



Appalachian Mountain Bike Club

BIG CHECK and BIG NEWS! REI Knoxville, Legacy Parks Foundation and some awesome private donors are making connections! Thanks to everyone who made it to the announcement for a new bridge over Red Bud Road!

Posted by Appalachian Mountain Bike Club on Thursday, June 25, 2015

Study: Knoxville's Urban Wilderness could boost local economy

Study: Knoxville's Urban Wilderness could boost local economy:

outdoor retailer REI is expected to make a Thursday announcement that they're donating $10,000 to the Urban Wilderness to connect the park with their store in West Knoxville.

Re: Mural Being Donated, Parks & Rec Location Sought

Hi Roger, 

Happy to hear that!

We have a "Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville" student group at UT-Knoxville that I imagine will be on board to help paint.  And you're right, there will be many other student groups interested from both UT-Knoxville and the Institute of Agriculture.

We actually have a campus tradition of painting "The Rock" at UT-Knoxville so I hope you'll have some time to try your hand at that when you're in town.

I'm going ahead and CC'ing our City Greenways Commission Chair (Brian Hann) and Co-Chair (Chris Cherry) so we can plan to make a motion in support of your art project at our next meeting.

I imagine we'll have a lot of different groups of people excited about this.

Glad we were able to get you connected to our city government leaders - 

Thanks Dawn, Joe, Lori, and David for your interest & support!

-Tanner

On Mon, Jun 22, 2015 at 3:05 PM, Dawn Michelle Foster <dmfoster@knoxvilletn.gov> wrote:

Roger,

We are very excited about this opportunity and looking forward to viewing the sketch.

Tanner, "Kudos" for your effort in grasping  the City's attention in providing mural art along one of Knoxville's most utilized greenways.   

 

Looking forward to a great project. 

Best Regards,
Dawn Michelle

 

From: Roger Peet [mailto:toosphexy@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2015 2:53 PM
To: Tanner Jessel
Cc: chris irwin; Lori Goerlich; Joe Walsh; David Brace; Noah Greenwald; Dawn Michelle Foster; Tierra Curry
Subject: Re: Mural Being Donated, Parks & Rec Location Sought

 

Thanks Tanner- it seems, after some discussion on this end, that we will be good to go for this site. We like the size, the location, and the visibility. Since it's quite a large wall, we will likely have a lot of opportunity to invite students of a variety of ages to participate in the painting. I think we'll put this on the schedule for spring next year!

If there is anything further that I can provide at this point, let me know. I will begin work on a sketch.

Thanks for all the work on this!

Roger

On Jun 19, 2015 11:30 AM, "Tanner Jessel" <mountainsol@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Roger,

 

Anecdotally I can tell you a few things about usage on Third Creek Greenway:

 

• Third Creek Greenway is arguably Knoxville's "Crown Jewel" in the greenway network.  
• At 4.5 miles long, it is part of 18 miles of continuously connected greenway spanning East to West Knoxville along the Riverfront and through UT-Knoxville campus
• I walk that trail nearly every day at lunch hour and routinely pass 5 - 10 fellow trail users in the 30 minutes it takes me to walk it
• I personally believe a mural has the power to attract visitors who might not otherwise visit the greenway / natural area along Third Creek.

 

Some hard data:

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville enrolled 27,410 students in Fall 2014
• Fort Sanders / Cumberland Avenue is East Tennessee's most densely populated neighborhood at (8,784 people per square mile)
• SEC Football Games on the Knoxville Campus routinely attract in excess of 100,000 people; this greenway is a key link from West Knoxville to the Stadium
• The City of Knoxville did a greenway usage study in 2014; peak usage for Third Creek is ~2500 per week in July with a low of ~500 per week in December, and an overall average of 1,546 users per week, with an upward trend

Concerning street art:

• We don't really have "tagging" at this location; it's mostly students who apparently yearn for street art, and draw cartoons, poems, and other doodles.  
• There was one piece of protest art covered in the most recent regular maintenance. (I have some photos if you're interested)
• We have an active street art community in Knoxville that is largely respectful of established artistic works / murals
• As Chris alluded, the Greenway Underpass Mural Project was designed to reduce the incidence of grafitti, and has two clear coats plus a grafitti-resistant top coat
• In the two years since the 6th Avenue Mural has been installed on First Creek Greenway, the project has had one genuine "tag."
• We do have 9 uniformed police officers as part of a "Parks and Greenway Patrol Unit" who patrol greenways regularly on bicycles

On a related point, I do have one question / suggestion:

• I understand your target square footage is 500 square feet.
• The wall itself is approximately 217 feet long (measured in GIS) by (15?) feet high (guesstimate), or 3,255 square feet overall
• If additional funds were provided to supplement material cost beyond what the CBD would be willing to donate, would it be possible to cover the entire wall?
• The length and low profile of the site seems to lend itself well to depicting a linear "bed" of mussels / underwater aquatic scene akin to <http://www.freshwatersillustrated.org/GalleryMain.asp?GalleryID=126631&AKey=3swcg6tc>

 

I believe painting the entirety would discourage graffiti on the entire wall and provide an awesome "panoramic" experience for trail users, akin to a permanent biodiversity IMAX experience fully exploiting the parabolic shape of the retaining wall.

• Note that The City of Knoxville sets aside money each year to award funds to projects on a competitive basis
• The Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural Project covers an area much larger than 500 square feet.
• Most of the graffiti top coat was actually funded by a Challenge Grant from the City of Knoxville Parks & Rec department.  
• Director of Public Works David Brace also came out and did some site prep for that project to help with paint adhesion.

 

The time between now and next spring would seem to lend itself to coordinating a project that covers the entire wall.

 

Just a thought.

 

Anyway, glad to see everyone connected. 

 

With this e-mail thread, you're in capable hands, but I'm happy to help if there's anything I can assist with.  

 

For the near term I'll probably pass this latest development on to the City Greenways Commission and we can make a motion in support of the project. 

 

Thanks,

 

Tanner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Fri, Jun 19, 2015 at 12:51 PM, Roger Peet <toosphexy@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all- I've looked at that location and I think that provisionally it's quite a good site! A couple of questions-

Is that a heavily-trafficked path? We're trying to site these murals in locations where they'll be seen by large, diverse group of people.

I see that there are a lot of buffed tags on the wall, and I wonder if the mural might not become rapidly overwritten, as it's in a secluded location. Any thoughts on that?

At this point the mural wouldn't be going on until next spring at the earliest, as we've bboked up most of this year already.

If I can answer any questions, please ask!

Thanks for all of the work on this,

Roger

 

On Wed, Jun 17, 2015 at 10:54 AM, Tanner Jessel <mountainsol@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Director Walsh, 

 

That's awesome to hear.

 

There are actually some natural features on the wall that already evoke the natural shell of a freshwater clam.

 

From what I understand, all that is needed for CBD to donate the mural is a site offered up that matches the artist's vision.

 

I believe that wall on Third Creek Greenway might just match the artist's vision (populated neighborhood, popular location, opportunity for quiet reflection).

 

Let me go ahead and tag the artist, Roger Peet, in on this conversation to show him that there's active interest from the City.

 

What's been going on is that as other cities secure sites for CBD / Roger, he goes ahead and schedules time to do the installation.

 

It's really first come, first serve.  Last I heard it might be August or September for Knoxville, assuming we move on donating a site.

 

So, if you all can secure a site he agrees with, then the next step is to simply see what his schedule is amidst all the other installations he's doing this summer. 

 

Roger - you can check out the retaining wall Director of Parks and Recreation Joe Walsh considers to be City of Knoxville property "virtually" at https://goo.gl/maps/6cS4t.

 

This is one of my favorite Greenways in Knoxville with excellent wildlife viewing opportunities - probably the best spot in Knoxville to see abundant aquatic turtles, snakes, amphibians, and waterfowl, and directly connected to the Tennessee River.

 

Thanks,

 

Tanner

 

 

On Wed, Jun 17, 2015 at 1:26 PM, Joe Walsh <jwalsh@knoxvilletn.gov> wrote:

Tanner, I consider that wall along the Third Creek Trail ours.  I think that would be a good site!  When would the award be made of the CBD?

 

From: Tanner Jessel [mailto:mountainsol@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 11:36 AM
To: Joe Walsh; David Brace; chris irwin
Cc: Lori Goerlich; Dawn Michelle Foster
Subject: Mural Being Donated, Parks & Rec Location Sought

 

Hi Director Walsh and Director Brace,

 

I've been trying to drum up support with the Office of Redevelopment concerning a new mural potentially being donated to Knoxville.

 

The Center for Biological Diversity is donating murals of approx ~500 square feet *free* to a handful of cities across the U.S. to highlight locally important endangered species.

 

Along with Birmingham, Alabama and St. Louis, Missouri, Knoxville Tennessee is on the CBD's "short list" in the South to get a mural.

Birmingham is getting a Watercress Darter; St. Louis is getting the Ozark Hellbender.

 

Knoxville's proposed installation is a type of freshwater pearlymussel (clam). Freshwater clams feature significantly in Knoxville's history, both as a food source for indigenous peoples and later as the foundation of a Southeastern U.S. button industry.  Cormac McCarthy wrote about a Knoxville musseler trawling the Tennessee River in his book "Suttree" set in the 1950s.  The McClung museum has a special exhibit on the animal's role in Knoxville's history.

It's free art and needless to say, great for our city in terms of tourism and civic pride.

 

All we have to do is donate a blank wall to install it.

 

Or it won't happen.

 

Can Parks and Rec and Public Works help secure a site, so we can get this mural for Knoxville?

 

Following on the heels of the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural Project, I'm personally enthusiastic about a mural installation on the city's Greenway network.

 

I've identified two spots that might be ideal candidates, given their proximity to Knoxville's most populous neighborhood (Fort Sanders / UT), the popularity of Third Creek Greenway, and the appropriate context of the creekside greenway for the subject matter (freshwater clam). 

1. University Commons retaining wall (with hopes of one day having a bridge from Third Creek Greenway to University Commons)
2. Third Creek Greenway retaining wall (adjacent to UT Rugby Fields)

I don't know if the retaining wall on Third Creek is owned by the City or by TDOT.  

 

​

 

This is an important question because if it is owned by the City, then I don't believe we'd need permission from TDOT to install it (unlike the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural Project). 

 

Director Brace is probably familiar with the struggle with grafitti at this site; one goal of the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural project was to deter graffiti and minimize ongoing maintenance efforts.

 

Along with Chris Irwin, I've been trying to drum up support for an installation site with anyone who will listen since April.

 

I'd greatly appreciate any support we can garner from Parks & Rec. 

 

I think this'd be a "win" for all city departments involved, but especially a "win" for the residents of Knoxville.

 

Here's more about the project and a recently finished example - as you can see it's really compelling visual art.

 

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/about/creative_media/endangered_species_mural_project/index.html

 

​

Can you let me know if the City owns the retaining wall on Third Creek Greenway adjacent to the UT Rugby fields, and if so, whether it might be possible to install a mural this summer, perhaps concurrent with the KUB closure August - September, or if there are other potential installation sites owned by the city?

 

Thanks,

 

Tanner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--

Roger Peet

 

Justseeds Artists' Cooperative

 

TooSphexy.com

 

Re: Mural Being Donated, Parks & Rec Location Sought

Hi Roger,

Anecdotally I can tell you a few things about usage on Third Creek Greenway:

• Third Creek Greenway is arguably Knoxville's "Crown Jewel" in the greenway network.  
• At 4.5 miles long, it is part of 18 miles of continuously connected greenway spanning East to West Knoxville along the Riverfront and through UT-Knoxville campus
• I walk that trail nearly every day at lunch hour and routinely pass 5 - 10 fellow trail users in the 30 minutes it takes me to walk it
• I personally believe a mural has the power to attract visitors who might not otherwise visit the greenway / natural area along Third Creek.

Some hard data:

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville enrolled 27,410 students in Fall 2014
  
• Fort Sanders / Cumberland Avenue is East Tennessee's most densely populated neighborhood at (8,784 people per square mile)
  
• SEC Football Games on the Knoxville Campus routinely attract in excess of 100,000 people; this greenway is a key link from West Knoxville to the Stadium
• The City of Knoxville did a greenway usage study in 2014; peak usage for Third Creek is ~2500 per week in July with a low of ~500 per week in December, and an overall average of 1,546 users per week, with an upward trend

Concerning street art:

• We don't really have "tagging" at this location; it's mostly students who apparently yearn for street art, and draw cartoons, poems, and other doodles.  
• There was one piece of protest art covered in the most recent regular maintenance. (I have some photos if you're interested)
• We have an active street art community in Knoxville that is largely respectful of established artistic works / murals
• As Chris alluded, the Greenway Underpass Mural Project was designed to reduce the incidence of grafitti, and has two clear coats plus a grafitti-resistant top coat
• In the two years since the 6th Avenue Mural has been installed on First Creek Greenway, the project has had one genuine "tag."
• We do have 9 uniformed police officers as part of a "Parks and Greenway Patrol Unit" who patrol greenways regularly on bicycles

On a related point, I do have one question / suggestion:

• I understand your target square footage is 500 square feet.
  
• The wall itself is approximately 217 feet long (measured in GIS) by (15?) feet high (guesstimate), or 3,255 square feet overall
• If additional funds were provided to supplement material cost beyond what the CBD would be willing to donate, would it be possible to cover the entire wall?
• The length and low profile of the site seems to lend itself well to depicting a linear "bed" of mussels / underwater aquatic scene akin to <http://www.freshwatersillustrated.org/GalleryMain.asp?GalleryID=126631&AKey=3swcg6tc>

I believe painting the entirety would discourage graffiti on the entire wall and provide an awesome "panoramic" experience for trail users, akin to a permanent biodiversity IMAX experience fully exploiting the parabolic shape of the retaining wall.

• Note that The City of Knoxville sets aside money each year to award funds to projects on a competitive basis
• The Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural Project covers an area much larger than 500 square feet.
• Most of the graffiti top coat was actually funded by a Challenge Grant from the City of Knoxville Parks & Rec department.  
• Director of Public Works David Brace also came out and did some site prep for that project to help with paint adhesion.

The time between now and next spring would seem to lend itself to coordinating a project that covers the entire wall.

Just a thought.

Anyway, glad to see everyone connected. 

With this e-mail thread, you're in capable hands, but I'm happy to help if there's anything I can assist with.  

For the near term I'll probably pass this latest development on to the City Greenways Commission and we can make a motion in support of the project. 

Thanks,

Tanner

On Fri, Jun 19, 2015 at 12:51 PM, Roger Peet <toosphexy@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all- I've looked at that location and I think that provisionally it's quite a good site! A couple of questions-

Is that a heavily-trafficked path? We're trying to site these murals in locations where they'll be seen by large, diverse group of people.

I see that there are a lot of buffed tags on the wall, and I wonder if the mural might not become rapidly overwritten, as it's in a secluded location. Any thoughts on that?

At this point the mural wouldn't be going on until next spring at the earliest, as we've bboked up most of this year already.

If I can answer any questions, please ask!

Thanks for all of the work on this,

Roger

On Wed, Jun 17, 2015 at 10:54 AM, Tanner Jessel <mountainsol@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Director Walsh, 

That's awesome to hear.

There are actually some natural features on the wall that already evoke the natural shell of a freshwater clam.

From what I understand, all that is needed for CBD to donate the mural is a site offered up that matches the artist's vision.

I believe that wall on Third Creek Greenway might just match the artist's vision (populated neighborhood, popular location, opportunity for quiet reflection).

Let me go ahead and tag the artist, Roger Peet, in on this conversation to show him that there's active interest from the City.

What's been going on is that as other cities secure sites for CBD / Roger, he goes ahead and schedules time to do the installation.

It's really first come, first serve.  Last I heard it might be August or September for Knoxville, assuming we move on donating a site.

So, if you all can secure a site he agrees with, then the next step is to simply see what his schedule is amidst all the other installations he's doing this summer. 

Roger - you can check out the retaining wall Director of Parks and Recreation Joe Walsh considers to be City of Knoxville property "virtually" at https://goo.gl/maps/6cS4t.

This is one of my favorite Greenways in Knoxville with excellent wildlife viewing opportunities - probably the best spot in Knoxville to see abundant aquatic turtles, snakes, amphibians, and waterfowl, and directly connected to the Tennessee River.

Thanks,

Tanner

On Wed, Jun 17, 2015 at 1:26 PM, Joe Walsh <jwalsh@knoxvilletn.gov> wrote:

Tanner, I consider that wall along the Third Creek Trail ours.  I think that would be a good site!  When would the award be made of the CBD?

 

From: Tanner Jessel [mailto:mountainsol@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 11:36 AM
To: Joe Walsh; David Brace; chris irwin
Cc: Lori Goerlich; Dawn Michelle Foster
Subject: Mural Being Donated, Parks & Rec Location Sought

 

Hi Director Walsh and Director Brace,

 

I've been trying to drum up support with the Office of Redevelopment concerning a new mural potentially being donated to Knoxville.

 

The Center for Biological Diversity is donating murals of approx ~500 square feet *free* to a handful of cities across the U.S. to highlight locally important endangered species.

 

Along with Birmingham, Alabama and St. Louis, Missouri, Knoxville Tennessee is on the CBD's "short list" in the South to get a mural.

Birmingham is getting a Watercress Darter; St. Louis is getting the Ozark Hellbender.

 

Knoxville's proposed installation is a type of freshwater pearlymussel (clam). Freshwater clams feature significantly in Knoxville's history, both as a food source for indigenous peoples and later as the foundation of a Southeastern U.S. button industry.  Cormac McCarthy wrote about a Knoxville musseler trawling the Tennessee River in his book "Suttree" set in the 1950s.  The McClung museum has a special exhibit on the animal's role in Knoxville's history.

It's free art and needless to say, great for our city in terms of tourism and civic pride.

 

All we have to do is donate a blank wall to install it.

 

Or it won't happen.

 

Can Parks and Rec and Public Works help secure a site, so we can get this mural for Knoxville?

 

Following on the heels of the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural Project, I'm personally enthusiastic about a mural installation on the city's Greenway network.

 

I've identified two spots that might be ideal candidates, given their proximity to Knoxville's most populous neighborhood (Fort Sanders / UT), the popularity of Third Creek Greenway, and the appropriate context of the creekside greenway for the subject matter (freshwater clam). 

1. University Commons retaining wall (with hopes of one day having a bridge from Third Creek Greenway to University Commons)
2. Third Creek Greenway retaining wall (adjacent to UT Rugby Fields)

I don't know if the retaining wall on Third Creek is owned by the City or by TDOT.  

 

​

 

This is an important question because if it is owned by the City, then I don't believe we'd need permission from TDOT to install it (unlike the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural Project). 

 

Director Brace is probably familiar with the struggle with grafitti at this site; one goal of the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural project was to deter graffiti and minimize ongoing maintenance efforts.

 

Along with Chris Irwin, I've been trying to drum up support for an installation site with anyone who will listen since April.

 

I'd greatly appreciate any support we can garner from Parks & Rec. 

 

I think this'd be a "win" for all city departments involved, but especially a "win" for the residents of Knoxville.

 

Here's more about the project and a recently finished example - as you can see it's really compelling visual art.

 

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/about/creative_media/endangered_species_mural_project/index.html

 

​

Can you let me know if the City owns the retaining wall on Third Creek Greenway adjacent to the UT Rugby fields, and if so, whether it might be possible to install a mural this summer, perhaps concurrent with the KUB closure August - September, or if there are other potential installation sites owned by the city?

 

Thanks,

 

Tanner

 

 

 

 

 

 

--

Roger Peet

Justseeds Artists' Cooperative

TooSphexy.com

Federal Funds Sought for New Downtown Bridge

MPC News:

MPC planners recently helped the City of Knoxville’s Department of Policy and Redevelopment submit a grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation seeking funding for a South Waterfront Pedestrian/Bike Bridge. The bridge will span the Tennessee River, connecting South Knoxville’s proposed Riverwalk near Clancy Avenue to downtown Knoxville and UT at Thompson Boling Arena.

Re: Mural Being Donated, Parks & Rec Location Sought

Hi Director Walsh,

That's awesome to hear.

There are actually some natural features on the wall that already evoke the natural shell of a freshwater clam.

From what I understand, all that is needed for CBD to donate the mural is a site offered up that matches the artist's vision.

I believe that wall on Third Creek Greenway might just match the artist's vision (populated neighborhood, popular location, opportunity for quiet reflection).

Let me go ahead and tag the artist, Roger Peet, in on this conversation to show him that there's active interest from the City.

What's been going on is that as other cities secure sites for CBD / Roger, he goes ahead and schedules time to do the installation.

It's really first come, first serve.  Last I heard it might be August or September for Knoxville, assuming we move on donating a site.

So, if you all can secure a site he agrees with, then the next step is to simply see what his schedule is amidst all the other installations he's doing this summer. 

Roger - you can check out the retaining wall Director of Parks and Recreation Joe Walsh considers to be City of Knoxville property "virtually" at https://goo.gl/maps/6cS4t.

This is one of my favorite Greenways in Knoxville with excellent wildlife viewing opportunities - probably the best spot in Knoxville to see abundant aquatic turtles, snakes, amphibians, and waterfowl, and directly connected to the Tennessee River.

Thanks,

Tanner

Signs not keeping swimmers from jumping into south Knoxville quarry

Signs not keeping swimmers from jumping into south Knoxville quarry:



That's how DeeDee Harrison spent her day, even taking a few jumps off the quarry. But just feet from her launching point were city signs warning her not to.

Signs, patrols follow quarry deaths - News Sentinel Story

Signs, patrols follow quarry deaths - News Sentinel Story:

The Knoxville Police Department, meanwhile, stationed officers in the park beginning Sunday and will continue the patrols from sunup to sundown every day until the signs and barriers are installed and visitors become better accustomed to the rules, said Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch. Anyone trespassing on the cliffs and climbing on rocks will be cited or arrested, he said.

Mural Being Donated, Parks & Rec Location Sought

Hi Director Walsh and Director Brace,

I've been trying to drum up support with the Office of Redevelopment concerning a new mural potentially being donated to Knoxville.

The Center for Biological Diversity is donating murals of approx ~500 square feet *free* to a handful of cities across the U.S. to highlight locally important endangered species.

Along with Birmingham, Alabama and St. Louis, Missouri, Knoxville Tennessee is on the CBD's "short list" in the South to get a mural.

Birmingham is getting a Watercress Darter; St. Louis is getting the Ozark Hellbender.

Knoxville's proposed installation is a type of freshwater pearlymussel (clam). Freshwater clams feature significantly in Knoxville's history, both as a food source for indigenous peoples and later as the foundation of a Southeastern U.S. button industry.  Cormac McCarthy wrote about a Knoxville musseler trawling the Tennessee River in his book "Suttree" set in the 1950s.  The McClung museum has a special exhibit on the animal's role in Knoxville's history.

It's free art and needless to say, great for our city in terms of tourism and civic pride.

All we have to do is donate a blank wall to install it.

Or it won't happen.

Can Parks and Rec and Public Works help secure a site, so we can get this mural for Knoxville?

Following on the heels of the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural Project, I'm personally enthusiastic about a mural installation on the city's Greenway network.

I've identified two spots that might be ideal candidates, given their proximity to Knoxville's most populous neighborhood (Fort Sanders / UT), the popularity of Third Creek Greenway, and the appropriate context of the creekside greenway for the subject matter (freshwater clam). 

1. University Commons retaining wall (with hopes of one day having a bridge from Third Creek Greenway to University Commons)
   
2. Third Creek Greenway retaining wall (adjacent to UT Rugby Fields)

I don't know if the retaining wall on Third Creek is owned by the City or by TDOT.  

​

This is an important question because if it is owned by the City, then I don't believe we'd need permission from TDOT to install it (unlike the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural Project). 

Director Brace is probably familiar with the struggle with grafitti at this site; one goal of the Sixth Avenue Greenway Underpass Mural project was to deter graffiti and minimize ongoing maintenance efforts.

Along with Chris Irwin, I've been trying to drum up support for an installation site with anyone who will listen since April.

I'd greatly appreciate any support we can garner from Parks & Rec. 

I think this'd be a "win" for all city departments involved, but especially a "win" for the residents of Knoxville.

Here's more about the project and a recently finished example - as you can see it's really compelling visual art.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/about/creative_media/endangered_species_mural_project/index.html

​

Can you let me know if the City owns the retaining wall on Third Creek Greenway adjacent to the UT Rugby fields, and if so, whether it might be possible to install a mural this summer, perhaps concurrent with the KUB closure August - September, or if there are other potential installation sites owned by the city?

Thanks,

Tanner

KUB Announces Partial Closures On Sections of Neyland and Third Creek Greenway

KUB Announces Partial Closures On Sections of Neyland and ...:

KUB and its contractor will close sections of two City of Knoxville greenways located on the University of Tennessee campus as the natural gas distribution system in the area is upgraded over the next several months. This work will be weather permitting, and will not impact both greenways at once.

It will just close most of the greenways around UT campus twice.

...first greenway closure involves a 2500-foot section of the Neyland Greenway between Third Creek and Joe Johnson Drive near the UT Botanical Gardens and UT Veterinarian Hospital from June 15 through early August...

If there had been a bridge installed at University Commons, there would not be a problem with the greenways at all.



KUB needs to do more to support Greenways.



Notice the type on the sign on the second image? They just pasted new text on top of the error.



They missed the one on the printed sign.

Multimodal Access Grant Applicable to Northshore Dr. / S.R. 332

Hi Jon,

I was thinking about the multi-modal access grant you received.

Did you say that in addition to Kingston Pike / Wesley Road, that you're actively looking for other potential applications for this type of grant?

I realized this afternoon that Northshore Drive is a state route (332), and connects to S.R. 1 (Kingston Pike).

I am dissatisfied with the Ross/Fowler design for the greenway there along Northshore at Lyons View; I think there is plenty of room on the west side of Northshore for a greenway or detached cycle path, particularly if a street diet were implemented (the road has excessively wide shoulders on both sides and a center turn lane).

Benefits of a West side cycle path include a creekside view, stormwater filtration / vegetative buffer potential, and pedestrian access for Sacred Heart Cathedral and Lakeshore Park.  I also was especially fond of a suggestion brought up during the April Greenways Commission meeting for a roundabout at Lyons View and Northshore.

Since Northshore is a state route, and does indeed have a fixed bus route with stops, I imagined it might present an opportunity for "fixing" some of the problems with Northshore using Multimodal access funds.

It would also tie in nicely with planned Lakeshore Park enhancements.

Is there a limit to how many proposals you can submit per year?

Since I live in East Knoxville I'm also partial to East Knoxville projects - a quick look at Google Maps shows there's a "State Route 9 (Asheville Highway) and a State Route 34 (Rutledge Pike). 

I would love to assist with brainstorming any ideas that benefit my area of town, specifically those greenway / cycle paths, particularly because there is a paucity of greenway and transportation alternatives in East Knoxville.

I've looked over the 2014 grant guidelines here, specifically the section "Eligible Projects," and it looks like there are quite a few eligible projects that might be applicable to greenways and detached cycle paths: http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/publictrans/docs/TDOTMultimodalAccessGrantGuidelines2014.pdf

Is e-mail the best way to send ideas to you first, or would it be more helpful for the ideas to first be channeled through the greenways commission, or maybe some combination thereof?

Thanks,

Tanner

Archaeologist finds hidden spot of Civil War history - News Sentinel Story

Archaeologist finds hidden spot of Civil War history - News Sentinel Story:

A Knoxville archaeologist said he’s discovered the remains of a small Civil War earthen fort off the Third Creek Greenway. Now Charles Faulkner is working to preserve the site he spotted eight years ago.

First Creek Greenway Route Along Willow Avenue Not Desired Path

Director Walsh and Mr. Craig,

Ross/Fowler provided the observation yesterday during the June 2015 Greenways Commission meeting that many of the "best routes" are not available in urban areas.

The corridor presented by an abandoned Southern Railroad spur in the heart of Knoxville's urban landscape is a highly desirable route that I have, as yet, seen no evidence suggesting it is unavailable for consideration as a greenway path.

Therefore, I feel strongly that it needs to be considered in the feasibility study for the city's consideration.

Eleven architects with the East Tennessee Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, five members of the Office of Policy Development, Community Development Department, and Knoxville's Community Development Corporation explicitly recommend following the historic Southern Railway Spur in the 2009 Magnolia Avenue Corridor Plan, which is referenced again in the 2011 Magnolia Avenue Redevelopment Plan. 

I'm attaching a word document with all relevant mentions of the suggested route, see "2015-06-10-Magnolia-Plan-Greenway.docx," attached.

The route suggested in those reports is indicated on historic maps available online: http://arcg.is/1KpYBdQ

I'm also including a screen capture with the route highlighted for contrast, see image below.

The spur began at the Standard Knitting Mill near Caswell Park at the top of the image, then followed the creek Southward to terminate at an empty lot across from modern-day Crown and Goose restaurant.

While the First Creek Spur (Track No. 130-9) of the Southern Railroad at the old T. L. Lay Packing Company Plant (now Knox Rail Salvage) was abandoned by quit claim deed in 1947 (Deed Book 1313, page 957), the spur itself was still indicated on historic maps from 1966, and none of the data models for parcels in KGIS suggest new private ownership.  One parcel in fact still belongs to Norfolk Southern Corporation, the company resulting from the merger of Southern Railway and Norfolk-Western. 

While recent property records don't seem to indicate new ownership, some adjacent property owners, such as the industry between East Jackson Avenue and Willow Avenue have modified the former right of way by pouring concrete and adding a fence in an area clearly marked (red lines added by me) in the 1993 property rendering and 2014 Deed Book document for this property.

​

I'm not knowledgeable about Tennessee law, however it concerns me that the act of maintaining the abandoned railroad right-of-way by adding "improvements" might somehow be legally interpreted as permitting the adjacent property owner to stake a "claim" to otherwise abandoned property.

In the second image below, I have provided a screen capture of a spatial data model from the Metropolitan Planning Commission depicting existing land-use.  

 

The black hashed line with arrows indicates the route desired by myself, by community members, and I will venture to say, the majority of the Greenways Commission appointees.

As you can see in more detail in the online map, the majority of the route follows property owned by no-one; it is the abandoned rail line's path.

Where property ownership is indicated by colored parcels (notably "blue" and "green" in the upper portion of the image), these are public / quasi-public landowners, such as City of Knoxville, Knoxville Housing Authority, Knoxville Utilities Board, and Knoxville Area Transit.

This suggest to me that the majority, if not the entirety, of the route is available to pursue as a greenway corridor.

You can access this "Existing Land Use" dataset online; it shows Public / Quasi-Public Land parcels associated with the former Southern Railroad Spur owned by the City of Knoxville and KAT and KUB, and a "TCU" parcel owned by KUB, also quasi-govermental organization.

http://www.kgis.org/Html5Viewer/Index.html?viewer=mpccases

In other discussions of this specific route, I've created a visualization of the route desired by area residents:

If specific direction is coming out of Parks and Rec routing First Creek Greenway along Winona or Jessamine, this direction contradicts what area residents desire and what other studies supported by experts and city departments have recommended.  

I am optimistic Parks and Rec will provide new direction to Ross/Fowler to fully evaluate the feasibility of the potential corridor following the First Creek Spur of the Southern Railway, as requested by the Greenways Commission at the June 2015 meeting.

It is my belief that study of this path will reveal historical, aesthetic, and recreational values superior to any presented by streetscape enhancements to Willow Avenue.

Thanks,

Tanner

Smoky Mountain Railway at Avenue A in Vestal

David,

You mentioned yesterday during the June 2015 Greenways Commission meeting you were unsure how the Smoky Mountain Railroad (Knoxville, Sevierville & Eastern) crossed Avenue A.

From the historical 1942 - 1953 maps, it seems to me the likely route passed beneath Avenue A:

I've not been out to the site myself, so I couldn't speculate as to whether that underpass was a tunnel or other structure.

Other years' maps are available online: http://historicalmaps.arcgis.com/usgs/

1942: http://arcg.is/1BYO9Dg

1953: http://arcg.is/1BYO6r2

More information on the railway itself is available online, and I've tagged in "Friends of the Smoky Mountain Railway" on this e-mail thread.

http://www.trainweb.org/smokymtnrr/

The "approximate" route from Knoxville to Sevierville is available as a digital map online:

http://binged.it/1FIXGzK

Not many are aware the USGS has these historical topographic maps digitized;

I hope these historic map resources are useful for Greenway Projects related to the Knoxville, Sevierville & Eastern Railroad's historic route.

Thanks,

Tanner

Excerpts Relevant to First Creek Greenway via May, 2011 Report: Magnolia Avenue Warehouse District Redevelopment and Urban Renewal Plan

The proposed First Creek Greenway, which runs through the Redevelopment Area, would link the Park Ridge and Old North Knoxville neighborhoods to Caswell Park and beyond to downtown. A portion of the proposed First Creek Greenway could be realized through the rails to trails program. The greenway will be an important asset to the Redevelopment Area and surrounding neighborhoods.

http://www.kcdc.org/Libraries/Redevelopment_Plans/Magnolia_Avenue_Redevelopment_Plan.sflb.ashx 


Provisions for development and historic preservation

Parks and Greenways
The First Creek Greenway is the foremost park improvement.

p .27


Recommendations for SOMAG:

First Creek Greenway should be created on the
abandoned rail line

p. 28


SOMAG Special Emphasis: First Creek
Greenway


The First Creek Greenway forms the eastern edge of the
SOMAG focus area. A significant portion of the greenway
will be realized by the SmartFix40 improvements. The
greenway will be a recreational and transportation asset
to this gateway and nearby neighborhoods. AIA provided
a vision of the greenway and potential redevelopment
along the creek (see drawing).

p. 29

The Rail Corridor:

After nearly a century of railroad-oriented uses, this area has changed.
Vacant and underutilized resources – particularly the former knitting mills – form a derelict edge between the Hall of Fame gateway and the Park Ridge neighborhood. A mix of higher density residential, wholesale commercial/distribution and utility uses should be fostered. The First
Creek greenway can be a catalyst for reuse and redevelopment. The mixed use proposal will allow reuse of Standard Mills for residential use, which should be sought.


p. 32


HALL OF FAME AND MAGNOLIA GATEWAYS 

Provisions for development historic preservation

Connectivity/circulation
Continuity in the streets, sidewalks and greenway trails are necessary to the
success of revitalization. Opportunities for redesign, like a landscaped median,
are possible.


p. 33



Parks and Greenways 

The creation of the First Creek Greenway trail, reusing the abandoned rail line, is essential to the revitalization process. That open space and trail is necessary to link Park Ridge and Old North Knoxville neighborhoods to Caswell Park and beyond to downtown. The trail should be routed under Magnolia Avenue via the edge of the Knoxville Utility Board properties. Additionally, the Caswell Park walking loop should be extended and a connection should be made across the
railroad to the Fourth and Gill neighborhood.



p. 33



Recommendations for the Hall of Fame and
Magnolia Gateways

[...]

Create a bike and trail connection from the Fourth and
Gill neighborhood to Caswell Park.

[...]

Complete First Creek Greenway with a rails-to-trails
connection to downtown.

[...]



p. 35

TWRA, Non-Profit Organizations Launching Campaign To Save Monarch Butterflies - Chattanoogan.com

TWRA, Non-Profit Organizations Launching Campaign To Save Monarch Butterflies - Chattanoogan.com:

The TWRA, along with the National Wildlife Federation, Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF), Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation (TennGreen), Mississippi River Corridor (MRC) and The Nature Conservancy are partnering with Roundstone Native Seed Company in an effort to save the butterflies.

Improved Railroad Crossing on Neyland Drive

The improved crossing of the RR tracks, on the south side, is now finished. Great work, City of Knoxville! (Remember to still slow down!!!)

Posted by Knoxville Regional Bicycle Program on Friday, June 5, 2015

Knoxville wins $100K bike trail grant | WATE 6 On Your Side

Knoxville wins $100K bike trail grant | WATE 6 On Your Side:

The plan for Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness Gravity Trail won the nationwide 2015 Bell Helmets Bell Built contest with over 26,000 votes collected. The grant will fund the construction of a unique, expert downhill trail to add to the existing Urban Wilderness South Loop trail system.

DART, Dallas are going to cut a deal that lets the city fill in blank spaces along its trail system | Dallas Morning News

I love this quote!

Just before she left the Dallas City Council, Angela Hunt told her colleagues, "I hope we're thinking about our trails as a transportation system and not just a recreational project for hipsters." The occasion was a briefing on Dallas' trail network - a would-be, could-be 300-or-so-mile-long system that's only halfway finished in large part because the city has neither the property nor the paper to get it done.

DART, Dallas are going to cut a deal that lets the city fill in blank spaces along its trail system | Dallas Morning News

Crosswalk Art for Historic Edgewood / Park City

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the info... I somewhat expected that'd be the case.

Glad to hear we're getting "continental" style (I really like the term "Zebra" better!) since I've read they are safest and I personally *feel* more visible when crossing them.

The reason I'm thinking of this is I just saw an article showing where an artist creates stencils to transform bare concrete into a kind of tiled mosaic using paint:

http://www.boredpanda.com/graffiti-spray-paint-tile-pattern-floor-installations-javier-de-riba/

My neighborhood is always looking for new public art opportunities, and really when I ask about feasibility, beyond "non-traditional" installations, I'm wondering if you happen to know if there'd be a legal problem with adding street art to the new crosswalks?

I mean, other than securing permission, and the logistic problems related to putting art in.

The "stencil" approach would seem to help with that hurdle, though:

I'm opportunistically thinking of the possibility of adding "folk art" street art as some kind of decorative flourish while the workers add the MUTCD compliant crosswalk, to take advantage of the street closure.

On a related note:

I saw you've been busy with a curb cut for the First Creek Greenway at 6th Avenue.

Thanks for that.

I imagine it must be related to making progress on the Upper & Lower First Creek Greenway connections that you & Brian have talked about.

Are you planning to put a crosswalk there?


You mentioned that Greenways get "diagonal" versions - if you have any freedom to do something different, it might be fun to try it out to make some kind of an artistic "printed" path to indicate the greenway route.

This one is really interesting to me:

http://roadsworth.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Sardines_mercado4_for-web-1237x500.jpg

It'd be cool if people could "follow the yellow fish road" from Upper to Lower First Creek Greenway.






The artist who did it actually does commissioned installations for municipalities:

Peter Gibson, aka "Roadsworth."

You make a good point about funding sources.

If there are not any legal hurdles concerning "special case" crosswalks or adorning "MUTCD compliant" crosswalks, I think I'd like to bring up crosswalk art opportunities with the Public Arts Commission.

I'm sure a first question would be: is this legal?

From the street art the Health Department did at Inskip Elementary School, I can see that students did add color to the interior of the "continental" style.

But, I can also imagine that it's possible this wasn't exactly "safety enhancing."

If you can share any thoughts on what's possible / legal, I'd appreciate it.

For this project, the palette was limited to official "traffic marking paint" of red, blue, and gold with textured grip.  I note that the blue / gold is what the artist used for his "fish" stencils, so that's encouraging, at least.




I'm envisioning something  outside of whatever the city installs, like a stenciled, colorful border, evoking the concept of a "woodblock print" or tiled surface.

Thanks,

Tanner