Community
Facilities and Utilities
South County residents have a wide range of school, library, and recreational
resources at their disposal. The greatest potential for new public facilities
in the South County Sector consists of greenway and park developments
proposed by Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Knox
County Greenways Coalition. Further development of existing county resources
and the success of new development proposals lies in the ability of county
agencies to leverage local, state, and federal funds. Community involvement,
as always, provides a significant source of energy and inspiration.
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School
Information
|
Name
|
Type
|
Capacity
|
1994
Enrollment
|
2001
Enrollment
|
%
Change 94-01
|
Year
Built
|
|
Bonny
Kate Elementary
|
K-5
|
550
|
419
|
374
|
-11%
|
1932
|
|
Gap
Creek Elementary
|
K-5
|
200
|
167
|
122
|
-27%
|
1933
|
|
Mt.
Olive Elementary
|
K-5
|
350
|
350
|
307
|
-12%
|
1926
|
|
New
Hopewell Elementary
|
K-5
|
475
|
333
|
285
|
-14%
|
1972
|
|
South
Doyle Middle
|
6-8
|
1,020
|
1,181
|
1,126
|
-4.7%
|
1974
|
|
South
Doyle High
|
9-12
|
1,830
|
1,395
|
1,261
|
-9.6%
|
1976
|
Source:
Knox County School Board, 2001
|
| On
the whole, schools in the South Knox County remain at levels below capacity.
Due to low enrollments of elementary-age children, Knox County Schools
had previously considered consolidating elementary schools to reduce overhead
expenses. However, that proposal has now been set aside. |
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|
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Existing
Recreational Resources
|
Resource
|
Amenities
|
Acres
|
|
Parks
|
|
Alcoaway
Optimist Park
|
Basketball,
Playground, Picnic Area, Restrooms, Soccer, Softball, Walking
Loop
|
12
|
|
Bower
Field Community Park
|
Baseball,
Picnic Area, Playground, Softball, Walking Loop
|
12
|
|
Dean’s
Woods Park
|
NA
|
1
|
|
French
Memorial Park
|
Nature
Trail, Picnic Area, Playground, Restrooms, Soccer, Walking Loop
|
20
|
|
I.C.
King Park
|
Boat
Access, Fishing, Mountain Biking, Nature Trail, Picnic Area
|
160
|
|
Kimberlin
Heights Park
|
Softball
|
11
|
|
Maloney Road Park
|
Boat
Access, Picnic Table, Playground
|
17
|
|
Marine
Park
|
Boat
Access, Picnic Table
|
2
|
|
Marine
Park North
|
NA
|
19
|
|
Scottish
Pike Park
|
NA
|
1
|
|
Sentel
Park
|
NA
|
.2
|
|
Belt
Road Park
|
Soccer,
Softball
|
|
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Schools
|
|
Bonny
Kate Elementary School
|
Playground
, Softball
|
7
|
|
Gap
Creek Elementary School
|
Playground
|
9
|
|
Mount
Olive Elementary School
|
Basketball,
Playground , Softball
|
5
|
|
New
Hopewell Elementary School
|
Playground
|
9
|
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South
Doyle High School
|
Baseball,
Basketball, Football, Soccer, Softball, Tennis
|
32
|
|
Libraries
|
|
Bonny
Kate Branch Library
|
New
facility opened in August 2000
|
NA
|
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Greenways
|
|
Will
Skelton Greenway
|
Trail
length is 2.3 miles, with 1.7 miles located in the South County
Sector
|
NA
|
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Other
Resources
|
|
Forks
of the River Wildlife Management Area
|
NA
|
321
|
|
UT
Wood Lot
|
NA
|
178
|
Parks
Source: MPC, Knox County Parks Plan, 1998 and MPC GIS Database, 2001
Greenways Source: MPC, Knox County Greenways Plan, 1994
|
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|
|
Proposed
Park Facilities
|
Resource
|
Location
|
Proposed
Amenities
|
Acreage
|
|
Seven
Islands Nature Area
|
Seven
Islands, East County
|
Walking
trails, greenway, river access,
|
|
 |
with
access from the South County Sector
|
habitat protection, educational programs
|
350
|
|
New
Hopewell Park
|
New
Hope Elementary
|
NA
|
10-20
|
|
South
Doyle High School Park
|
South
Doyle High School
|
Sports
Fields
|
20-30
|
|
Little
River Park
|
Little
River at Maryville Pike
|
Playground,
Trails
|
NA
|
|
IC
King Park
|
IC
King Park
|
Sports
Fields, Trails, Greenway Connection
|
NA
|
|
Ijams/State
WMA
|
Ijams/State
WMA
|
More
acreage, trails, river access, habitat protection
|
NA
|
|
Kimberlin
Heights Park
|
Gap
Creek Elementary
|
Community
Park
|
10
|
Parks
Source: MPC, Knox County Parks Plan, 1998
|
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|
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The
emphasis on greenway development in the immediate future will be in
making connections between existing schools and parks.
|
|
Numerous
recreational resources exist in the immediate vicinity of the South
County, including Ijams Nature Center, a private golf course, and a
recently acquired natural area in the Seven Islands area on the north
side of the French Broad River.
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Proposed
Greenways
|
Resource
|
Description
|
Status
|
Priority
|
Length
|
|
French
Broad River
|
From
the Eastern State WMA along the south bank of the French Broad
River to the county line. Would include linkages to Ijams Nature
Center, River Islands Golf Course, "Knoxville-Smokies Greenway",
Marbledale park, and adjacent residential development.
|
Corridor
is under review
|
I
|
14
miles
|
|
Bays
Mountain
|
From
the Little River to the French Broad River. Would consist of
a footpath along the ridge crest.
|
NA
|
II
|
NA
|
|
Hines
Creek
|
Running
north to the French Broad River. Would include footpaths where
possible with the remainder designated as a green corridor.
|
NA
|
III
|
NA
|
|
Burnett
Creek
|
Running
north to the French Broad River. Would include a trail/greenway
where possible, with connections to the French Broad Greenway
(proposed) near the Eastern State WMA.
|
NA
|
III
|
NA
|
Note:
Greenway development proposals are ranked on a I to III scale, with
a I being the highest priority.
Greenways Source: MPC, Knox County Greenways Plan, 1994
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