Major upgrades are coming to Jefferson Street Park after the board of mayor and aldermen Okayed the construction to begin The move by the city comes after Parks and Recreation Department was approached by members of the community last year to look into replacing the Jefferson Street Playground. The current playground built in 2011, is very small and weathered and does not offer popular amenities such as swings.

Both elected officials and City staff met with the group and later identified the desired playground amenities and a funding source using remaining contingency funds from the 2017 Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund Construction Loan. Miracle Playgrounds of Kentucky and Tennessee offers a playground unit with 11 play events to include STEM, tactile, and sensory panels. The package also includes a dome climber, dish swing, and two traditional belt swings. This package targets children 5 years to 12 years and will accommodate 50 – 60 children.

The cost to purchase the playground package, to include installation, new wood mulch surfacing, and mulch curbing is $71,495- Local activist J.T. Northcutt strongly supports improvements to the community center. “It is a focal point for the community and the kids,” Northcutt told the board during public comment time.” ‘The park is really a beautiful park. What we are finding is over the years the activities for children there have diminished.”

Fellow community activist Destiny Holmes echoed Northcutt’s sentiments, noting updating is of prime importance.

“The layout of the park is no longer providing the safe, engaging and adequate space that our children deserve,” she told the board, noting she supports the park upgrade that will benefit all Tullahoma residents. “A well-designed park is more than playground equipment, it is a place where families come together.”

Alderman Daniel Berry urged the board to have a maintenance plan in place for the new park.

“If we’re putting in a new park, we need to allocate in every budget, money that is going to take care of this,” Berry said.

The most expensive maintenance item for the park on a year-to-year basis will be the special mulch, which is ADA approved and will cost $4,000 each year. City Administrator Jeff Damron noted that the park will be checked every month by an onstaff inspector.