Cumberland County is updating its Parks and Recreation master plan to maintain eligibility for state grants while outlining future improvements.
Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster said the TDEC requires the master plan to ensure the county remains qualified for funding opportunities. Foster said the update specifically adds new trail projects and removes completed items from the original plan established several years ago.
“It helps us to have a plan formulated for the future of what we believe, right now, the current needs are,” Foster said. “The different updates and upgrades and it helps us to focus on that. We know that we can be targeted when we’re looking for grants or something comes across the table, we can say, ‘Hey we’ve discussed this, we know we’re ready to apply for certain things.’”
Foster said the county recently secured a large grant to address erosion issues along the one-mile trail at Obed River Park. Foster said his primary fiscal goal is to avoid taking on new debt for the county general fund by prioritizing projects that can be completed through existing money or outside grants.
“We have to be very, very mindful of the taxpayer,” Foster said. “It’s their money. So, my goal is to do as many of these things with grants as possible.”
Foster said the master plan includes a project to cover the arena located on the Community Complex grounds. Foster said the arena project is entirely grant funded and will prevent weather-related cancellations for non-profit and professional organizations using the space. While mindful of public tax dollars, Foster said he understands how important parks are to the welfare of a community.
“Public spaces are very important,” Foster said. “People saw that especially during COVID how you could be able to get out and do things in wide open areas.”
Foster said the county has focused on cleaning up existing parks and maintaining the Community Complex, which serves as the site for the annual fair and various festivals. Foster said officials are currently discussing the possibility of adding a new event space to the grounds, and adding a roof covering to the existing arena.
“I want it to look good and I want it to have the space that makes it something that people want to go to,” Foster said.
Foster said the master plan was developed using feedback gathered through public hearings and county commission meetings. Foster said the county has already obtained significant public input and is now focused on putting the community’s vision into action.