By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—The city of Paris held its first public input session for a proposed water recreational area at Eiffel Tower Park Thursday and city officials laid out its ambitious plan which would include splash pads, a teen and family zone, pavilion, shade structures and restroom building.
Thursday’s session was held in the morning at the Atkins-Porter Recreational Center, with a follow-up public input session set for 4 p.m. April 5 at the Paris-Henry Co. Chamber of Commerce office.
City Manager Kim Foster said she and other city officials are “very, very excited” about the proposal “and we’re very hopeful we can receive the grant funds needed for it.”
City officials plan for the recreational area to be a destination for tourism in our area. “We want this to be way beyond what other communities in our area already have,” she said.
The water recreational area would promote physical fitness in the community, encourage tourism and be “an economic driver” for the city of Paris, she said.
Both Chamber Executive Director Travis McLeese and Paris Parks and Recreation Director Tony Lawrence said it also would bring something to the community that would encourage younger people to stay in Paris.
“As a parent, this is thrilling to me and my wife,” McLeese said. “It’s an opportunity in our community for bigger things and it’s these kinds of things that will attract millennials.”
The city has long-range plans for both the Eiffel Tower Park and Eiffel Tower Park II (across the street) and already installed the new water slides at the municipal swimming pool. “We wanted to see how the community would react to that before we moved on to other areas,” Foster said, “and the response from the public to that has been great. We tripled attendance at the pool because of that.”
Foster said the swimming pool season is relatively limited, “so we were looking for something that would increase the season and be an attraction for the public, not just local people, but the whole area.
With the help of TLM Associates and the Northwest Development office, the city will be applying for Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant monies, which are available every other year. The city has used LPRF monies on many of its parks.
Rob Goad of the NW Development office in Martin was on hand at Thursday’s meeting.
The splash pad being proposed will be state-of-the-art, Foster said. “The water will not run all the time, only when it’s being used, and the water will be chlorinated and UV disinfected. The water will circulate continually, so it will be cleansed all the time.”
City officials are still considering whether or not to charge for attendance in the water recreation area. “We’re want to hear more from the community,” she said.
The new recreation area will be handicapped-accessible, she said. “That’s always a priority for us and it also is a requirement.”
Jack Spencer of Paris, who formerly was a member of the city of Paris ADA committee, said, “I’m really pleased it will be ADA compliant”, noting that monies may be available to help the city in that area.
It also will help boost tourism, he said. “Handicapped people will seek out places that are ADA compliant,” he said.
Photo: City Manager Kim Foster presents information on the proposed park area at today’s public input meeting. (Shannon McFarlin photo).
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