After years of planning, $1.2m project to transform downtown Knoxville park nears completion
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Nearly six years after funding for the project was first approved, the Cradle of Country Music Park's $1.2 million transformation will undergo the finishing touches this fall.
The park is located in a triangular-shaped 0.58-acre sloping green space at Gay Street and Summit Hill Drive. The area has been home to several small pieces of art for decades and in 2017, the city began searching for artists to create a permanent art installation .
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Now, after a total investment of more than $1.2 million, installation has begun for the artwork. The city shared that in the coming weeks, crews "will be using scissor lifts to gently hoist and install a whimsical curved metal canopy atop a stylistic concrete pier." This work will continue into the late fall when the park is set to reopen.
"This transformation will be a memorable moment in downtown Knoxville," said R.J. Justice, the City's Chief of Urban Design and Development. "We wanted to create an inviting and engaging public space at this important downtown pedestrian crossroads. This park pays tribute to Knoxville's role in shaping country music and soon will be able to host music and small concerts here, under the trees."
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The sculpture was designed by THEVERYMANY, a New York studio led by artist Marc Fornes. Their concept was chosen as the best from a total of 129 applicants. Their team worked with Surface 678 and Hedstrom Design to create the vision for the park. The city of Knoxville wrote, "The designers and partners were intentional in blending the pier and its covering with their surroundings."
While work is underway, the sidewalk along Gay Street at the park's western edge will be closed and detour signs posted. Pedestrians are asked to use a permanent new sidewalk built across the eastern side of Cradle of Country Music Park.
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Funding was first approved in November 2018, to build a public art piece at The Cradle of Country Music Park. The Knoxville City Council voted 8-1 to pass the resolution authorizing the mayor to execute a $500,000 agreement with THEVERYMANY, LLC to create and install the public art piece and performance space. However, city engineers and the Public Arts Committee reviewed what it would take to bring the design to life and found more planning was needed. In September 2019, the City Council voted to approve an additional $60,000 for the project , bringing the total cost for the art installation to $560,000.
In 2020, the project was pushed back due to the pandemic. It also faced concerns about mature trees being cut down in the park, and in September 2022, Mayor Kincannon shared that they had created a plan where only one tree was removed . In addition, nine new trees will be planted in the fall of 2024. The city council then awarded the construction contract for the project to Blount Contractors Inc. in October 2022. The construction price came to a total of $790,300 according to the city's Department of Engineering.
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Next, in January 2023 , the city accepted a $83,000 donation from the Downtown Knoxville Alliance and a $166,000 donation from Visit Knoxville and the State of Tennessee Department of Tourism to support the park's development. Work officially began in May 2023 and in October 2024, the construction of the pier and walking paths was complete . The next step is the installation of the curved metal canopy.
According to the city of Knoxville's website, the park was created in 1986 to recognize Knoxville's role in the promotion of country music.
This project is one of many projects within Knoxville that aim to promote and support artwork and artists throughout the city. In October 2024, Knox Walls at Emory Place opened , adding 13 permanent murals to the city and the city is currently seeking artists to create a mural at the Cal Johnson Recreation Center .
