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Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsFairground development detailed; water park quashed, pavilion replacement on hold

Fairground development detailed; water park quashed, pavilion replacement on hold

Plans for a municipal waterpark at Fairgrounds Park were quashed yesterday by the city’s Marina Committee, a move that came as no surprise to some  Clarksville residents. The redevelopment of the fairgrounds in to a marina/park has a $32 million price tag, a sum or leveraged debt approved by the Clarksville City Council several months ago.

observation-buildingJJR, the engineering firm contracted to design the “new” fairgrounds park and marina, reported to  the city that the multi- million dollar water park as planned was too large a footprint for the designated area. JJR also presented a preview of what the marina will look like when it opens next year.

Jim Durrett said the city is “not stopping” the water park but rather searching for a new location and conducting a “feasibility study” on whether Clarksville could or would support such a facility.

A question should be raised as to why a feasibility study was not done and paid for BEFORE the city arranged financing for this project, something that would seem the sensible, practical thing to do.  Most municipalities — including Hopkinsville, KY —  that are running water parks run them in the red financially, or at best, at a break even in a good summer; they become a “quality of life” accessory for some area residents. If the city is looking for a new site for a water park, what  additional cost (read: new debt) will be incurred on that additional debt should the city move to  implement a water park in said new location.

JJR engineers senior project manager Bruce Lunde presented a preview of the Fairgrounds Park and marina, which city officials steadfastly maintain  will open in 2010, despite the fact that no state environmental or Army Corps of Engineering (and the related public hearings)  public hearings or permit approvals have been granted.

The preview presented detailed materials to be used in construction of the park buildings, including a shade pavilion at the Bark Park and other structures on the spit of land between the marina and Cumberland River. Tennessee limestone will be used for the base of most structures, including the observation building. Additional awnings will create areas of shade, and metal roofing in a titanium hue will be used on the structures.

JJR expects to complete the main components of the marina by October, 2010. Bids for some site preparation will be sent out in May. Excavation is expected to begin in July. There is no timetable on how long it will take contractors to excavated  an estimated 800,000 cubic yards of soil and re-distribute it over other areas of the fairgrounds project.

As presented in this overview, fishing buffs will be able to access a new and improved pond, estimated at three times the size of the existing pond with a meandering shoreline edged in wetlands and wetland grasses. Engineers note that the wetland will help regulate storm water and filter it in a manner that leaves the pond itself less prone to becoming “muddied.”

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The post-tornado remains of the popular Fairgrounds Pavilion: May 2008

But as presented this week, there emerged a glaring, gaping hole in the original concept of a refurbished Fairgrounds Park:  no new pavilion or auditorium.  The fairgrounds heavily used pavilion was effectively smashed and relocated by last springs spate of tornadoes, and many residents have been anxiously awaiting the construction of a new facility that would serve many of the city’s residents and organizations. JJR said it expects  to resume the design process for a pavilion by summer, since the primary focus at this time is marina land and the planned basin preparation and construction.

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