KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville leaders are preparing to start work to build a new Lonsdale Park at the site of the now-empty Sam E. Hill School.
Leaders said the school's gymnasium would be preserved, while the rest of the 150,000 square-foot site would be developed to make room for sports, children's play areas and a space for community events. On Tuesday, city leaders are expected to present plans for the new park.
Previously, city leaders said the space would be based on input from the community. The city said Lonsdale Park could host Lonsdale Homecoming festivities with a covered pavilion and staging for food trucks.
"We want to let them know this is where you have come from. If you don't know where you come from, how do you know where you're going?" said Clarence McDowell, who works to organize the Lonsdale Homecoming event.
Previous plans for the park call for playground equipment like slides and swings, as well as biking and skateboarding paths. The city's plans for Lonsdale Park also included a 1/3 mile multi-use trail and an outdoor fitness station.
Around $1 million was set aside in the 2023-2024 city budget for the project, according to Knoxville's website about the project. In total, around $2.5 million has been set aside in city budgets. City leaders said the park could cost around $4 million. Construction is expected to start sometime in 2025.
They are expected to present plans for the park on Tuesday, during a community meeting at the Haslam-Sansom Ministry Complex.
