Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, Knox County Parks and Recreation Department Advisory Board and staff broke ground today, Monday, October 8. 2007 on the new Tommy Schumpert Park.
The regional park is located at 2065 Rifle Range Drive in north Knox County. It encompasses 173 acres in a beautiful and unique setting-a small valley between two forested ridges. The park will be multi-use with various passive and active components.
Mayor Ragsdale proposed the property for park use in 2005. Phase one of Tommy Schumpert Park will include three multi-purpose fields for football, soccer and other sports, a baseball field that will serve as the new home of Central High School's team and youth baseball, a two-mile cross country trail, disc golf and the county's first dog park sponsored by PetSafe. Parking, restrooms and concessions will also be included.
Future phases will include a picnic shelter, expanded AYSO soccer fields, a BMX track and additional parking.
"The new park will serve the north part of the county with a variety of recreational opportunities much in the same way that Concord Park serves the west part of the county. We are excited to be able to offer this type of park in a fast growing part of our community that really needs additional services. I especially want to thank PetSafe for their sponsorship of the dog park. Corporate generosity such as this helps make Knox County a great community," stated Mayor Ragsdale.
Tommy Schumpert Park can be found by taking I - 640 to Broadway and exiting north toward Halls through Fountain City. Turn left on Rifle Range Drive and go three miles. The park will be on your right. Or, from Merchants Drive, turn left on Central for about one half mile. Turn right on Dry Gap Pike and travel approximately two and a half miles to Rifle Range Road. Turn right, go about three miles and the park will be on your left.
Proposed opening for Phase I of construction to be fall of 2008.
