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Knoxville City Council votes to expand World's Fair Veteran's Memorial, buy property for dog park

Other items on the agenda include giving $7,875 to The Muse to support an apprenticeship program and taking new steps in building the Public Safety Complex.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville City Council met Tuesday evening, where council members talked about taking the first steps towards building a new dog park in Fountain City and expanding the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial Association display in World's Fair Park.

The ETVMA requested adding an area adjacent to the existing memorial where the monument is currently built. If approved, the association would be able to build additional parts of the memorial along a walkway leading to the flagpole.

The walkway is also adjacent to the L&N STEM Academy, a high school located next to the veteran's memorial. The expansion would be used to build a Vietnam War memorial for people who served in that war.

Amelia Parker said she wanted to host a public input meeting about the expansion. However, Andrew Roberto said the Vietnam War Memorial was especially important. A speaker said that few Vietnam War veterans are left, and said that the memorial could act as a point of healing for former service members.

That veteran received a standing ovation from the council after Roberto asked everyone to honor him for his service.

The proposal passed unanimously.

The Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department also requested the city take the first steps towards building a new dog park in Fountain City, near the Fountain City Skate Park and a greenway. It would be located at 108 Knox Road, and the city said it would not pay more than $135,000 for the property.

The property was previously improved with a small bait shop, which now lies in the First Creek floodway, according to the resolution. The director of the department said they realized that the property was an amenity and a connection to the existing park.

The motion passed unanimously.

Several resolutions also passed to take the next steps on building the Public Safety Complex. One resolution proposed continuing to work with McCarty Holsaple McCarty, an architecture design firm located in Knoxville, to help design the complex.

According to the resolution, the scope of work for the firm has increased and so they proposed increasing the total contract price by $1,015,923.

A similar resolution was proposed in their contract with Volkert Inc., which manages the planning, design and construction of the Public Safety Complex. The resolution proposes increasing the contract price by $480,881.

The city also approved a contract with Whaley Construction LLC for $308,320 to improve or install around 67 curb cuts in sidewalks across Knoxville, making them more accessible for everyone. The projects will go into areas where streets are expected to be resurfaced in the next few years.

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