Lynn Redmon Park being planned

By Mike Steely

Senior Writer

steelym@knoxfocus.com

Atop the ridge overlooking Merchant Drive are 25 acres that may become a new Knoxville park.

Norwood residents want the park named for long-time community leader Lynn Redmon. That discussion came up recently in a meeting of the neighborhood association. The citizens pointed to Councilman Charles Thomas and Legacy Parks as being involved with the effort.

Carol Evans, executive director of the Legacy Parks Foundation, told The Knoxville Focus that the acreage is being donated by the property owner, Dominion Development to be used as a passive park, "primarily for hiking, biking and enjoying nature."

"Dominion will donate the land to us once they get construction underway. Their intent is to provide for a separate entrance off of Merchants Road. We will convey the property to the city to become a city park," Evans said.

"The naming of the proposed park would be subject to the city's designated process for naming public property, but I think naming it for Lynn Redmon would certainly be a respectable suggestion," Councilman Charles Thomas told The Focus.

The property had belonged to the Girl Scouts and went through several attempts to develop until Dominion worked with the neighborhood to rezone the Pleasant Ridge property which will include 184 housing units.

"That piece of property has a history from several years ago," said Debbie Phillips of the Norwood Neighborhood Homeowners.  She added that several developers tried to build on it. "If you walk on it you will see all the big rocks and it's beautiful at the top."

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