West Park Improvements Complete
Mayor David Briley, Council Member Mary Carolyn Roberts, and officials from Metro Parks and Metro Water Services (MWS) celebrated the completion of major improvements at West Park on August 18, 2018. Enhancements to West Park, which began in 2015 as a collaborative project between Metro Parks and MWS, include new recreation amenities as well as updated wastewater system infrastructure to improve water quality in Richland Creek.
“I want to thank the Parks and Water Services departments for turning West Park into a dynamic and more inviting park for the Nations community. I hope neighbors will embrace this beautiful green space and enjoy all the benefits of nature, open space, and recreation that it offers,” said Mayor Briley.
The newly completed project delivers numerous new features and options for parks users, including a new softball field, which was dedicated in memory of Luis Cisneros, a victim of child abuse who never got to experience playing ball in the park, at the event. Additional improvements include a basketball court, a playground, and a picnic pavilion. There is also a new trail for walking, running, and biking, which will have future connectivity to the local greenway system.
“Expanding the diversity of recreation features and increasing the day and night use options will attract more park users,” said Metro Parks Director Monique Odom. “Our goal for these enhancements is to provide an improved quality of life for existing and future residents while providing park facilities that foster a fun, active, and more livable neighborhood.”
The parks improvements were conducted in conjunction with an expansion of the West Park Equalization Facility. That facility now consists of a pump station, two storage tanks, and associated piping and appurtenances. That is in addition to the West Park Pumping Station that sends flow to the wastewater treatment plant. As part of this expansion project, a circular, 260-foot diameter, 21-million gallon wet weather storage tank was constructed. The new storage tank, which includes a mural by artist Eric Henn, will be used when sewer flows exceed the capacity of the existing West Park Pump Station. The tank stores excess wastewater until the flows in the sewer system recede, and the stored volume can be conveyed through the pump station to treatment. The expanded storage capacity reduces sanitary sewer overflows into Richland Creek.
“Updating our wastewater infrastructure system is a smart investment in Nashville's future,” said MWS Director Scott Potter. “The ongoing improvements that we make, like these at West Park, will improve water quality in the Cumberland River and Davidson County's extensive network of neighborhood creeks, streams, and tributaries.”
In addition to the park features and storage tank, over 200 trees were planted on the site, and landscape features were designed to capture stormwater runoff. Because of the numerous sustainable features incorporated into the design and construction, the project earned the Envision Platinum Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. This award was accepted by the Mayor during the reopening of the park.