SAVE OUR POOL at Panther Creek State Park, TN
SAVE OUR POOL at Panther Creek State Park, TN
The Issue
The State of Tennessee has made the decision to permanently close the outdoor swimming pool at Panther Creek State Park without first considering public input. Please sign this petition to fight their decision and SAVE OUR POOL !!!
Many pools within state parks in middle and western Tennessee will reopen in 2022, but the pool at Panther Creek State Park is one of 11 in the eastern portion of the state scheduled for permanent closure. Read on for further details.
This 36 year old pool is the ONLY outdoor pool in our community. It’s an olympic sized facility that features grassy areas with the shade of lovely trees, a separate baby pool, a covered pavilion with picnic tables, diving boards, bathrooms with changing rooms and showers. It’s a tremendous asset for our residents and an amenity that encourages revenue by attracting visitors and campers.
The state has allocated $400,000 in “new” money to the park for recreational opportunities. This money could go toward the repair and preservation of the pool, while additional money could be contributed by Hamblen County Government and local fundraising efforts. The state estimates that it would take $580,000 to repair the pool and bring it up to code.
There are many questions that demand answers: How much money did Panther Creek State Park receive during the two years the pool was closed for Covid? Where did that money go? There are any number of viable alternatives to keeping an outdoor pool at Panther Creek Park, and perhaps even in other state parks facing the same issue. The State of Tennessee needs to consider the desires of the taxpayers and citizens!
Panther Creek Park has seen record breaking attendance, both in the park and in the campground, since reopening from Covid shut downs. In fact, over 9,000 swimmers enjoyed the pool in the year pre-Covid. Some have noted that the new Community Center (set to open in Fall 2022) will have an indoor pool. However, an outdoor pool offers a completely different experience in the sun and open air. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, the outdoor pool is significantly less expensive for residents and visitors to enjoy.
In a recent article the state claimed that, “lake swimming opportunities exist” in the park. As I said to officials present at the gathering on December 20, it’s neither safe nor reasonable to expect young mothers, for example, to pack their small children, lawn chairs, coolers, life vests, etc, and hike back into the woods a mile just for access to lake water. WE NEED A POOL!
The pool is a place to offer swimming lessons, which obviously can’t happen at a splash pad. Full water submersion is liberating for the disabled, crippled, and others with physical limitations as they are able to move freely in a body of water. And unlike the lake, if a child or adult gets in trouble, it’s easier to spot them in the clear waters of a blue pool than the deep, murky green waters of the lake with its hidden currents. The pool promotes physical exercise and outdoor experiences, both severely lacking in our society and our hometown.
Let’s come together and make our voices heard. This is OUR park. This is OUR money. This is OUR pool. Roll up your sleeves with me, dig in your heels and sign this petition to fight the state on this terrible decision. This will affect our community for generations to come, so think longterm. Think of your children’s children, and great-grandchildren. The “official” cut-off date for public input is January 19, 2022, but emails can be sent directly to state officials now and even after January 19. But we MUST ACT to reverse the state’s decision to permanently close our pool!
Click on the link below to make your comments known directly to the State of Tennessee. Additional emails for state representatives are listed further below for your convenience. I love this great state and this park, but closing this pool would be a travesty.
https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/parks_bmp_2021
Governor Bill Lee: Bill.Lee@tn.gov
Rep. Rick Eldridge: rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov
State Sen. Steve Southerland: sen.steve.southerland@capitol.tn.gov
Jim Bryson, Deputy Commissioner: Jim.Bryson@tn.gov
John LeCroy, Dept. of External Affairs: John.lecroy@tn.gov
2,496
The Issue
The State of Tennessee has made the decision to permanently close the outdoor swimming pool at Panther Creek State Park without first considering public input. Please sign this petition to fight their decision and SAVE OUR POOL !!!
Many pools within state parks in middle and western Tennessee will reopen in 2022, but the pool at Panther Creek State Park is one of 11 in the eastern portion of the state scheduled for permanent closure. Read on for further details.
This 36 year old pool is the ONLY outdoor pool in our community. It’s an olympic sized facility that features grassy areas with the shade of lovely trees, a separate baby pool, a covered pavilion with picnic tables, diving boards, bathrooms with changing rooms and showers. It’s a tremendous asset for our residents and an amenity that encourages revenue by attracting visitors and campers.
The state has allocated $400,000 in “new” money to the park for recreational opportunities. This money could go toward the repair and preservation of the pool, while additional money could be contributed by Hamblen County Government and local fundraising efforts. The state estimates that it would take $580,000 to repair the pool and bring it up to code.
There are many questions that demand answers: How much money did Panther Creek State Park receive during the two years the pool was closed for Covid? Where did that money go? There are any number of viable alternatives to keeping an outdoor pool at Panther Creek Park, and perhaps even in other state parks facing the same issue. The State of Tennessee needs to consider the desires of the taxpayers and citizens!
Panther Creek Park has seen record breaking attendance, both in the park and in the campground, since reopening from Covid shut downs. In fact, over 9,000 swimmers enjoyed the pool in the year pre-Covid. Some have noted that the new Community Center (set to open in Fall 2022) will have an indoor pool. However, an outdoor pool offers a completely different experience in the sun and open air. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, the outdoor pool is significantly less expensive for residents and visitors to enjoy.
In a recent article the state claimed that, “lake swimming opportunities exist” in the park. As I said to officials present at the gathering on December 20, it’s neither safe nor reasonable to expect young mothers, for example, to pack their small children, lawn chairs, coolers, life vests, etc, and hike back into the woods a mile just for access to lake water. WE NEED A POOL!
The pool is a place to offer swimming lessons, which obviously can’t happen at a splash pad. Full water submersion is liberating for the disabled, crippled, and others with physical limitations as they are able to move freely in a body of water. And unlike the lake, if a child or adult gets in trouble, it’s easier to spot them in the clear waters of a blue pool than the deep, murky green waters of the lake with its hidden currents. The pool promotes physical exercise and outdoor experiences, both severely lacking in our society and our hometown.
Let’s come together and make our voices heard. This is OUR park. This is OUR money. This is OUR pool. Roll up your sleeves with me, dig in your heels and sign this petition to fight the state on this terrible decision. This will affect our community for generations to come, so think longterm. Think of your children’s children, and great-grandchildren. The “official” cut-off date for public input is January 19, 2022, but emails can be sent directly to state officials now and even after January 19. But we MUST ACT to reverse the state’s decision to permanently close our pool!
Click on the link below to make your comments known directly to the State of Tennessee. Additional emails for state representatives are listed further below for your convenience. I love this great state and this park, but closing this pool would be a travesty.
https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/parks_bmp_2021
Governor Bill Lee: Bill.Lee@tn.gov
Rep. Rick Eldridge: rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov
State Sen. Steve Southerland: sen.steve.southerland@capitol.tn.gov
Jim Bryson, Deputy Commissioner: Jim.Bryson@tn.gov
John LeCroy, Dept. of External Affairs: John.lecroy@tn.gov
2,496
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Petition created on December 23, 2021