KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville City Council met Tuesday to discuss several proposals and resolutions. One of them was for an almost $2.7 million project to continue building the Urban Wilderness Gateway Park.
The first phase of the park was finished in July and included a bike park in the Baker Creek area, as well as neighborhood connections to Knoxville's expansive system of trails and greenways — the Urban Wilderness. On Tuesday, the city council chose Design & Construction Services to finish the second phase.
According to records, that included a lot of landscaping. The city purchased plants of many kinds — including Ilex Opaco "Satyr Hill," Overcup Oak trees, Shadblow Serviceberry trees, and an American witch-hazel tree. They also bought several kinds of shrubs, perennials and grasses.
The company will also install more benches and bike racks in the park, along with an accessible picnic table. There will also be a decorative boulder in the park, according to the bid schedule.
They will also pave more concrete in the area, according to the records.
Most of the work will be on the east side of Taylor Road, between Tilson Street and Cruze Road. That area is near South Doyle Middle School. When it is finished, city leaders said there will be new grading, landscaping, asphalt greenway, and concrete plaza hardscapes.
They also plan to install restroom facilities and supporting utilities, as well as a steel shade canopy.
The work will need to be finished within 300 days from the day that the city tells Design & Construction Services to move ahead with the project.
The proposal was unanimously approved Tuesday. At the meeting, they also approved several sidewalk and utility projects that could improve Knoxville's Urban Wilderness.