TWRA could help bring new accessible fishing areas to Cookeville’s Cane Creek Park, but the proposal must first secure city support and undergo state review.
TWRA Captain Tommy Whitehead said Cookeville resident Roy David Cravens submitted the proposal in August, requesting five wheelchair-accessible shoreline fishing pads around Cane Creek Lake. Whitehead said the agency has not formally reviewed the project.
“That’s a project that we do support and we feel like if we can improve an area for the fisherman, especially the ones that don’t have easy access to it, that we could provide that, and then we turn it back over,” Whitehead said.
Whitehead said the proposal could qualify for federal funding designated for public fishing access improvements. Matching contributions from the city or outside partners could help move the project forward more quickly, depending on its priority among other planned improvements.
TWRA leadership, engineering staff and Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission would need to approve the project before state resources could be committed.
Whitehead said TWRA engineers have experience designing accessible fishing platforms and could evaluate construction requirements and costs. The proposed pads would connect to existing paved trails where possible and could include protective curbing, railings and shade structures.
Securing city support would be among the first challenges, Whitehead said, particularly if the improvements do not align with existing plans for Cane Creek Park. Construction costs, environmental permitting and the availability of funding would also factor into the agency’s evaluation.
Whitehead said a leadership transition at TWRA could temporarily affect the proposal’s review. He said the agency’s incoming director, Doug Schoenrock, is expected to begin work in January.
Cravens’ proposal also calls for additional accessible parking, shaded fishing areas and partnerships with organizations serving people with disabilities. Whitehead said any improvements developed with TWRA assistance would remain under the city’s ownership and maintenance.