The City of Cookeville has made a splash with its latest community enhancement project, ceremoniously breaking ground on an array of new public amenities at Cane Creek Park. The initiative includes a state-of-the-art splash pad, an expansive playground, and a newly minted parking lot, all strategically located adjacent to the Cane Creek Recreation Center and soon-to-be-completed pickleball courts. As reported by the City of Cookeville's official announcement, the groundbreaking event was attended by a host of city officials, members of the Cookeville City Council, and the project contractors set to bring this venture to fruition.
Mayor Laurin Wheaton emphasized the project's significance, stating, “This project reflects our commitment to investing in quality-of-life improvements and creating spaces where memories are made for generations to come.” In addition, Mayor Wheaton highlighted the long-standing role of Cane Creek Park as a communal hub, affirming that the new features will elevate it to an even more enticing destination for families. The park, a staple gathering place in the community, is poised to receive these enhancements with open arms — or perhaps open faucets, in the case of the anticipated splash pad.
FTM Contracting, the crew behind the preliminary site work, is slated to embark on the installation phase of the splash pad, playground, and parking lot in the coming weeks. In terms of features, the splash pad is expected to be a 91-foot circular aquatic playground, designed by Aquatix, and will sport various interactive water elements catered to all age groups. According to the City of Cookeville's statement, the playground, spanning 8,384 square feet and brought to life by Landscape Structures, will be brimming with all the expected delights: slides, swings, and individual play modules including spinners and climbers, all nestled atop ForeverLawn safety surfacing.
“We are looking forward to these new amenities at Cane Creek Park,” said Rick Woods, director of Leisure Services. Woods pointed out that the splashpad, playground, and pickleball courts were all key components suggested in community surveys and have been incorporated into the park's master plan. Both the splash pad and playground installations will be overseen by Recreational Concepts, with Kimley Horn on board for the site design. All of this comes with a price tag of roughly $2.6 million.
