Little kids love splash pads. Heck, older kids have been known to walk through to cool off on hot days. And we really, really do appreciate Knox County’s efforts to provide this service.
But, the pads in the city of Knoxville and the town of Farragut are generally bigger, better and working.
Knox County officials were in the Bonny Kate area of South Knox County on June 25, 2024, for a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new splash pad at 7752 Martin Mill Pike, adjacent to the Howard Pinkston Library.
“Work started last week, and local leaders hope to have it up and running by the end of summer,” said Rylie McClurg, deputy communications director. “The construction of the splash pad will mean that Knox County government oversees a major water feature in each quadrant of the county.”
Well, sort of.
On June 25, Knox County Parks & Rec posted: “Carl Cowan (Park in West Knox County) splash pad is still undergoing maintenance, but not to worry! We still have other splash pad locations you can visit in the meantime! Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work to keep our community parks safe and functional.”
On June 27, Parks & Rec posted: “The playground at Powell Station Park will be closed until further notice for maintenance and repairs. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to improve our community.” We quickly inquired: “Does this include the splash pad?”
No answer at press time. Powell and New Harvest Park host the county’s only functional splash pads. It would seem that construction and maintenance of splash pads and playgrounds could be scheduled for non-summer months when usage is highest. Community leaders are hesitant to complain lest their park suffers.
Sandra Clark is founder of Knox TN Today Inc.