New memorial park open in Knoxville overlooking East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The French Broad Veterans Memorial Park in Knoxville is open following years of planning and $1.8 million in donations.
Legacy Parks Foundation cut the ribbon on the French Broad Veterans Memorial Park on May 16. The park, which overlooks the French Broad River and the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, has been in the works since the spring of 2019, when Carol Evans, the foundation's executive director, sought help to develop a park off of Governor John Sevier Highway on 8.5 acres of land donated by Blue Water Industries.
'Makes you proud to be an American': Veterans running across US reach East TN
'We're extremely proud of this veterans park. It was a very, very collaborative effort. A lot of the veteran groups helped, supported us, told us what they needed, told us what they wanted, and we were just so fortunate to get this land, right across from the veterans' cemetery. Close to 10 acres just donated to Legacy Park, so it was a great gift,' said Evans.
Legacy Park worked to design the park with veterans organizations. The design plan was made by the East Tennessee Community Design Center. The park includes a covered pavilion for events with a capacity for up to 75 people as well as private areas for reflection and small gatherings. The park also includes a paved walkway with memorials and a viewing area overlooking the river and veterans' cemetery. There is also a memorial wall honoring individual veterans and a flag courtyard honoring the six branches of service.
'Several elements in the park really are reflecting the veterans. The Court of Flags, where we're displaying all of the service flags. The memorial walk, where we have the ability to install 10 more monuments to individual services or honors, and then the pavilion to be able to accommodate group and events. So kind of those three things we were told were important,' said Evans.
Ribbon cut on new 264-home neighborhood in North Knoxville
'Thanks to our partnership with Legacy Parks and Carol Evans the French Broad Veterans Memorial Park, overlooking the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, will add a much-needed park to the area,' said Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. 'While its stunning views delight the eye, the rows of white headstones and the stories behind them fill our hearts. This will certainly provide veterans, their families, friends and loved ones a place to reflect.'
In September 2020, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs announced the county government would put $250,000 towards the project. Construction began in 2023 after Legacy Parks raised $1.3 million, the amount needed to begin construction, in October 2022.
Evans explained that they faced several challenges due to being so close to a quarry, but the design team was able to work through it even though it caused construction to take longer than expected.
Veterans Voices: Hear the stories of those who served
Overall, the foundation raised $1.8 million to support the park. They received donations from the state of Tennessee, U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett, who secured federal funding, and sponsors including Food City, former Gov. Bill Haslam, David and Sandy Martin, and the Stowers family.
The French Broad Veterans Memorial Park is located at 2302 East Governor John Sevier Highway in Knoxville. Legacy Parks plans to add a walking trail along the edge of the river bluff.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump, in show of NATO support, nominates official to key role with alliance
President Donald Trump has nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich to lead U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, sending a strong signal the administration will continue to play a leadership role in the alliance. Some allies, amid reports theTrump administration was reconsidering the position, worried the president would choose not to prioritize Europe and decline to place an American at the helm of NATO forces. A U.S. officer has filled the role since Gen. Dwight Eisenhower took the job in 1951 and is a symbol of American commitment to the region. Trump nominated Grynkewich, the Joint Staff's director of operations, to become the Supreme Allied Commander for Europe and commander, U.S. European Command. The nomination reinforces support for European allies just two weeks before NATO leaders gather in The Hague, Netherlands for an annual summit, which Trump and other alliance leaders will attend. The current Supreme Allied Commander, Gen. Chris Cavoli, told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in April that a U.S. decision to walk away from the role would prove a grave mistake. 'Our allies crave our leadership and are stronger with it, and are stronger for us,' he said. The discussions about not filling the role were part of a wider rethinking of the global U.S. footprint, according to a person familiar with the conversations, who like others, was granted anonymity to discuss internal matters. But the White House decided to keep a U.S. officer in the seat, the person said. The role is a critical one for European security. The official coordinates NATO military maneuvers and warfighting strategies across the continent, and handles nuclear deterrence. The person also commands American forces during any conflict in Europe. Lawmakers have advocated for keeping an American in the role so that a foreign leader would not oversee U.S. troops in a time of war. Grynkewich, an F-16 and F-22 pilot, has previously served as director of operations for U.S. Central Command, chief of plans for the European Command and the Pentagon's deputy director of global operations. "There was some concern about the U.S. pulling back here but this is a welcome signal that the U.S., even while shifting some priorities, still sees a secure Europe as a key priority,' said a European official. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at NATO headquarters Thursday for a defense ministers meeting, expressed confidence that European countries would continue investing more in their own defense. The administration is pressing allies to commit 5 percent of GDP to the alliance, a number the U.S. has yet to meet. "I'm very encouraged by what we heard," Hegseth said after the meetings. "Countries in there are well exceeding 2% and we think very close, almost near consensus, on a 5 percent commitment to NATO."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sen. King calls to preserve protected status of Afghans in U.S.
Jun. 5—U.S. Sen. Angus King on Thursday joined 28 Senate colleagues in calling on the Trump administration to reverse its sudden cancelation of Temporary Protected Status for Afghans who served alongside America's military, some of whom have settled in Maine. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the senators noted the potentially devastating impact of the cancelation, set to take effect mid-July, particularly for Afghans who supported the U.S. military during the war in Afghanistan and who face significant danger if they return to their native country. King, Maine's independent senator, is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a longtime advocate of protecting Afghans who supported and protected American troops, including many who live in Maine. "We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security's termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025," the letter states. "This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country." The letter continues, "Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service." The senators "respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions," the letter states. This story will be updated. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Christiane Amanpour Now Treats Travel To U.S. 'As If I Was Going To North Korea'
British journalist Christiane Amanpour said she treats travel to the U.S. under President Donald Trump 'as if I was going to North Korea.' The longtime CNN correspondent talked about her experience flying to the U.S. on her podcast, 'The Ex Files.' 'I must say I was afraid,' Amanpour told her co-host and ex-husband, Jamie Rubin, on Wednesday's episode. Amanpour was traveling to the U.S. last week to give a speech at Harvard University, which has come under increased attacks by Trump, including revoking the university's ability to enroll international students. Trump has also ramped up his attacks on immigrants, using agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to snatch people off the streets and imprison them without due process. And on Thursday, Trump announced that citizens of 12 countries would be banned from visiting the U.S. and seven others that would face restrictions. 'I'm a foreigner,' Amanpour said. 'I don't have a green card. I'm not an American citizen. I'm fairly prominent, and I literally prepared to go to America as if I was going to North Korea. I took a burner phone, Jamie. Imagine that. I didn't take a single … not my mobile phone, not my iPad, nothing, and I had nothing on the burner phone except a few numbers.' Amanpour said she also spoke to CNN security about what precautions to take. 'I've heard that many, including British citizens, have been stopped at the border and been questioned for hours and hours and hours,' she said. Thankfully, Amanpour said she went through airport security without any issues. 'I was welcomed,' she said. 'The immigration officer at Boston, where I came in, could not have been nicer. Huge sigh of relief I breathed.'
