Volunteer Landing

Last updated
Volunteer Landing
Volunteer Landing 01.jpg
Volunteer Landing
Type Public park, riverwalk
Location300 Neyland Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee
Coordinates 35°57′31″N83°55′01″W / 35.958733°N 83.916817°W / 35.958733; -83.916817 Coordinates: 35°57′31″N83°55′01″W / 35.958733°N 83.916817°W / 35.958733; -83.916817
Created1997
Owned byCity of Knoxville
Operated byKnoxville Public Building Authority
OpenDawn to dusk unless posted otherwise
Public transit access KAT 10, 11, 17
Website Official website

Volunteer Landing is a public park and riverwalk along the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tennessee. [1] [2] It is below the Gay Street Bridge. [1]

Contents

History

The location of the park is the site of the Treaty of Holston. [3] In 1988, a 50-member waterfront task force was created to analyze the waterfront area along the Tennessee River. [3] [4] Per the recommendations of this task force, a three-phase project to develop Volunteer Landing began in 1995 and continued through 1996. [3] [4] Volunteer Landing was completed in September 1997. [5] Upon this completion, Volunteer Landing had a boardwalk, a central pavilion and plaza, a pedestrian bridge, and two new public parks. [5] In April 1999, Gateway Regional Visitor Center which highlighted the region's nature and technology was opened. [5] In Spring 2000, the 140-boat slip Volunteer Landing Marina, was completed. [5] The Regas Riverfront Tavern/Restaurant, which seated about 250 people and had a banquet facility with capacity of 300, was also completed in 2000, concluding the waterfront development project. [5]

The state and local government contributed $10 million to Volunteer Landing. [5] The marina was funded with about $3 million in private funds and a $100,000 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) grant. [5] The visitor center was received $5.6 million in federal, state, and local funds. [5] The tavern/restaurant had about $6 million of private funding. [5] The overall cost was $42 million and consisted of both public and private developments. [4]

In 2007, the Public Building Authority began to manage Volunteer Landing. [3]

Description

View of Volunteer Landing from Neyland Stadium showing the Three Rivers Rambler parked underneath the roadway bridges Knoxville-R.jpg
View of Volunteer Landing from Neyland Stadium showing the Three Rivers Rambler parked underneath the roadway bridges

Volunteer Landing has 13 acres (5.3 ha). [6] Two new public parks were built as part of Volunteer Landing. [4] One is called River Mountain Park, and it is west of the central pavilion and demonstrates the region's river and mountain heritage through the landscaping and water features. [4] The second park is at the mouth of First Creek where the city was founded and has exhibits reflecting this history. [4]

Volunteer Landing Park is a three-acre linear park connects James White Greenway and Neyland Greenway. [7] They are part of the downtown greenway system which is 19 miles long and runs east to west. [6]

Activities

The one-mile walk features several attractions such as train rides, riverboat cruises, restaurants, and a marina. [1]

Fishing, biking, walking/running, and paddling are some available activities. [7] During University of Tennessee (UT) home football games, the Vol Navy lines the river at Volunteer Landing as part of a tailgating tradition. [7] [6] There is also a playground, splash pads, a shelter, picnic areas, and restrooms available. [1] [7]

Docks

Dock near the restaurant Calhoun's On The River, November 2019 Knoxville, TN Tennessee river -- at Calhoun's on the River.jpg
Dock near the restaurant Calhoun's On The River, November 2019

One dock was originally built for the 1982 World's Fair. [6] In 2017, a privately owned boat hit the dock and damaged it. [6] It was closed afterwards, though the city had already planned improvements prior to the incident. [6] The replacement dock cost $270,000 and 75 percent was financed by a TWRA grant. [6] In April 2018, city-owned 360-foot-long boat dock reopened. [6]

The Vol Navy dock is near Neyland Stadium. [8] The dock and concrete pavilion were built 1994 and was funded by a TWRA grant. [8] In 1998, 200 feet were added. [8] In 2019, the new dock was completed. [8] It is nearly 600 feet long. [8] The TWRA funded the project with a $400,000 grant and $100,000 came from the city and UT. [8] The Public Building Authority managed the project. [8] The city owns the dock and UT maintains it. [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Huso, D. (2010). Moon Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains. Moon Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. Avalon Publishing. p. 276. ISBN   978-1-59880-532-1 . Retrieved 2020-07-24.
  2. ↑ Molloy, J. (2011). Five-Star Trails: Knoxville: Your Guide to the Area's Most Beautiful Hikes. Five-Star Trails. Menasha Ridge Press. p. 33. ISBN   978-0-89732-922-4 . Retrieved 2020-07-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Volunteer Landing". World's Fair Park Knoxville. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Knoxville Waterfront Development". About Knoxville. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Knoxville/Knox County, Tennessee Empowerment Zone (September 20, 2010). Knoxville/Knox County, Tennessee Empowerment Zone, Empowerment Zones / Enterprise Communities, Annual Report, July 1, 2009 – July 2, 2010 (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 2020-07-31.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "City-owned dock at Volunteer Landing reopens". Knoxville News Sentinel. 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Volunteer Landing". Visit Knoxville TN. 2014-08-30. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "New Vol Navy dock opens in time for first Tennessee home game". wbir.com. 2019-08-30. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
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