Tennessee State Parks officials are seeking input from park visitors and the public on what to do with $400,000 in funding apiece for Chattanooga’s Booker T. Washington and Harrison Bay state parks to replace now-closed swimming pools with alternative recreational facilities.
The pools at both parks were closed in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 issues – along with pools at 14 other state parks – and “reopening the pools is unfeasible due to aging facilities, cycling visitation and high expenses” state parks officials said in a news release issued Tuesday.
The state is seeking ideas from the public for the $400,000 allocated to each park for outdoor recreation activities – other than swimming pools – in two public meetings set next week, officials said.
“The swimming pools at Booker T. Washington State Park and Harrison Bay State Park require major maintenance upgrades while usage continues to decline. We believe it is unfair to Tennessee taxpayers for the state to continue to invest in the swimming pools with increasing costs and declining use,” Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Deputy Commissioner Jim Bryson said in a news release on the search for public input.
(READ MORE: Mines: Once Black-only, Booker T. Washington State Park now serves everyone)