Oak Ridge Today

Reminder: Flatwater Festival, Flatwater Tales this weekend

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Ridge City Ramblers perform at the Flatwater Festival in 2017. (Photo courtesy Flatwater Festival)

Ridge City Ramblers perform at the Flatwater Festival in 2017. (Photo courtesy Flatwater Festival)

 

Reminder: The second Flatwater Festival presented by the three Rotary clubs of Oak Ridge will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, at Melton Lake Park.

And the Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival, which will feature three world renowned storytellers, has events on Friday and Sunday. It is the first storytelling festival in the Oak Ridge area.

Organizers said the Flatwater Festival on Saturday will include bands, beer, boat races, and bounce houses; wine, water, and soda; and face painting, food vendors, and fun for all, including corn hole games.

New this year is a team-building regatta featuring up to 20 boats. It will be held from 12:30 to 5 p.m. in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Rowing Association. A “build a boat” race by participants who make their own cardboard boats ahead of time will be held at 5 p.m. [Read more…]

Three Rotary clubs present Flatwater Festival on June 2

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Ridge City Ramblers perform at the Flatwater Festival in 2017. (Photo courtesy Flatwater Festival)

Ridge City Ramblers perform at the Flatwater Festival in 2017. (Photo courtesy Flatwater Festival)

 

Bands, beer, boat races, and bounce houses. Wine, water, and soda. Face painting, food vendors, and fun for all, including corn hole games.

The second Flatwater Festival presented by the three Rotary clubs of Oak Ridge will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, at Melton Lake Park.

What’s new this year? A team-building regatta featuring up to 20 boats will be held from 12:30 to 5 p.m. in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Rowing Association. A “build a boat” race by participants who make their own cardboard boats ahead of time will be held at 5 p.m.

In addition, the festival at Melton Lake Park is sandwiched between the Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival events on Friday, June 1, at the University of Tennessee Arboretum and Sunday, June 3, at the Oak Ridge Playhouse.

The three-day festival will be a fundraiser for the three Rotary clubs’ community service projects, including four new benches for the Oak Ridge waterfront in 2018, a press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool open Memorial Day weekend

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Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

 

The Oak Ridge Outdoor Swimming Pool will be open to the public over Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 26, through Monday, May 28, from noon to 6 p.m. each day.

This will be a soft opening over the holiday weekend, with the pool being closed for three days following Memorial Day, from Tuesday, May 29, to Thursday, May 31, a press release said. An open public swim will be held on Friday, June 1, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. The outdoor pool will then open for normal summer hours starting Saturday, June 2.

Events are planned throughout the summer, including movie nights, evening swims, swim lessons, Water Safety Day, and the end of season Puppy Pool Party, the press release said. A full calendar of events and additional details can be found online at http://orrecparks.oakridgetn.gov/. [Read more…]

Updated: Council approves Rails to Trails engineering contract

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The former CSX railway is pictured near Jefferson Middle School in central Oak Ridge on Dec. 30, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The former CSX railway is pictured near Jefferson Middle School in central Oak Ridge on Dec. 30, 2016. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:15 a.m. May 15.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday unanimously approved an engineering contract for the Rails to Trails project, which would convert a former CSX railroad into a bicycle and pedestrian pathway.

The consulting contract, worth an estimated $358,317, was awarded to A. Morton Thomas and Associates of Kingsport.

The agreement, approved 7-0, is to provide environmental testing, master planning, design and engineering of the trail, and help with construction bidding, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Director Jon Hetrick told City Manager Mark Watson in a May 4 memo.

There is still much work to be done, including buying the former railroad, and the project might not go out to bid until May 2020, or two years from now, according to a draft timeline presented at the City Council meeting on Monday. And that’s assuming all goes well.

“Design and engineering will provide construction cost estimates and a phasing schedule, along with a basis for negotiating the acquisition of the rail line from CSX Rail,” Hetrick said. “Because the current programmed funding will not cover the entire project cost, the master plan will be used to leverage additional funding for construction from various funding sources, including federal highway and private funds.” [Read more…]

Manhattan Project Park: Hike with a Ranger on Saturday

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Submitted photo

Submitted photo

 

Join park rangers for a hike along the Cedar Hill Greenway in Oak Ridge on Saturday, May 12.

The hike, which is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Saturday, will begin at Cedar Hill Park, the former location of Cedar Hill Elementary School.

Along the hike, rangers will discuss the early school system of Oak Ridge, early shopping centers, and housing in the Clinton Engineer Works, a press release said.

This 2.5-mile hike is considered moderately difficult, and some parts of the trail can wash out after a strong storm. Visitors are encouraged to wear appropriate footwear, insect repellent, and sunscreen, and bring drinking water, the press release said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has spring wildflower walk on Saturday

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet and greet followed by a spring wildflower walk at Haw Ridge Park on Saturday, May 5, 2018. Kris Light, an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer, will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, a press release said. (Submitted photo)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet and greet followed by a spring wildflower walk at Haw Ridge Park on Saturday, May 5, 2018. Kris Light, an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer, will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, a press release said. (Submitted photo)

 

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet and greet followed by a spring wildflower walk on Saturday, May 5.

It’s scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Haw Ridge Park on Edgemoor Road in Oak Ridge.  The parking lot is at the west end of the park. The walk is free and open to the public. Kris Light, an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer, will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, a press release said. [Read more…]

USA Cycling has Time Trial championship race in Oak Ridge in June

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Image by USA Cycling

Image by USA Cycling

 

The USA Cycling Pro Road, Time Trial, and Criterium National Championships will be in Oak Ridge and Knoxville in June, and the first of those races, the Time Trial races, will be in Oak Ridge on Thursday, June 21.

The Oak Ridge races will kick off the championships, according to Explore Oak Ridge and Adventure Anderson County.

The Time Trial championships will be hosted by Visit Knoxville and the City of Oak Ridge, the two tourism organizations said.

They said the Time Trial course is a seven-mile section of roadway that will include part of Melton Lake Drive, which is along the Oak Ridge waterfront, and Union Valley Road. The professional and elite women will complete two laps for a total distance of 14.1 miles. The professional and elite men will complete three laps for a total distance of 21.25 miles.

The course allows spectators to see athletes pass multiple times from one viewing location, Explore Oak Ridge and Adventure Anderson County said. [Read more…]

Run on Saturday will support autism organization

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Joe Judkins, right, of Oak Ridge, gets a high-five from Seth Krichinsky, an adult with autism who cheers on participants and helps hand out awards. Judkins came in first in his age group in the 5K run last year. (Submitted photo)

Joe Judkins, right, of Oak Ridge, gets a high-five from Seth Krichinsky, an adult with autism who cheers on participants and helps hand out awards. Judkins came in first in his age group in the 5K run last year. (Submitted photo)

 

The 12th annual Breakthrough Run for Autism will be held April 21, with Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville inviting individuals, teams, and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities to participate.

The 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 21, at Regal Cinemas Pinnacle Stadium 18 in Farragut’s Turkey Creek. The run, held during National Autism Awareness Month, supports Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville, a nonprofit organization committed to helping adults facing the challenges of autism in the East Tennessee region.

Lori Tucker, WATE-TV news anchor, will serve as honorary chair of the run and will be the emcee during the awards ceremony. Happy Lee, a Breakthrough volunteer, is the race director.

Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville invites any individual with a disability to register for the run or walk as a “breakthrough buddy,” a press release said. A “buddy” may request to participate with a volunteer, who will run or walk the course with the buddy. Breakthrough buddies receive special recognition during the award ceremony. [Read more…]

Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Community Mediation Services

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Oak Ridge Country Club Golf CourseAn annual golf tournament that helps Community Mediation Services of Anderson Country is next week in Oak Ridge.

The 17th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament is Friday, April 27, at the beautiful and challenging Oak Ridge Country Club, a press release said.

Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament benefits Community Mediation Services of Anderson Country, “providing participants a great way to give back to the youth and families in our community while having a great day of golf,” the press release said.

The Tournament starts at 8 a.m. Friday, April 27, in a scramble format. Golfers will get a complimentary breakfast, beverage carts, and a smoked barbecue lunch provided by Big Ed’s. Prize contests for participants will be awarded and a Hole-in-One Grand Prize will be available. Free Big Ed’s shirts and golf towels for all golfers are included. An on-site silent auction will be available, the press release said. [Read more…]

UT MBA team to present Rails to Trails study findings

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The former CSX railway is pictured near Jefferson Middle School in central Oak Ridge on Dec. 30, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The former CSX railway, which could be converted into a bike and pedestrian greenway, is pictured near Jefferson Middle School in central Oak Ridge on Dec. 30, 2016. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A team of graduate students from the University of Tennessee’s Master of Business Administration program will present recommendations next week to the City of Oak Ridge from a recent project that focused on how the city can promote its proposed Rails to Trails program.

The presentation, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, will be in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom on South Tulane Avenue. It is open to the public.

The Rails to Trails project in Oak Ridge would convert about 4.85 miles of unused CSX railroad into a pedestrian and bicycle trail. The city has received a $1.2 million grant for the project and approved a $1.5 million contract with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, but there is still much work to be done, including acquiring the property and designing and building the trail. Officials suggest it could be several years at least before the project is completed.

The former railroad starts at Elza Gate Park at Melton Lake Drive in east Oak Ridge, runs past the Emory Heights neighborhood and Jefferson Middle School, crosses Emory Valley Road near Hank’s Market, and then continues through the Hendrix Creek neighborhood along Lafayette Drive before ending near South Illinois Avenue, Scarboro Road, and the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The study of the Rails to Trails program took the group of four MBA students about seven weeks to complete, a press release said. [Read more…]

Greenways Oak Ridge to be discussed at Lunch with League on Tuesday

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Dan Robbins Birdwalk

Dan Robbins, second from right, leads an ORICL group on a birding walk along a Melton Hill Lake paved greenway. (File photo)

 

Dan Robbins, chairman of Greenways Oak Ridge, will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League on Tuesday. His presentation will focus on the history, current status, and future plans of the Greenways Oak Ridge organization, which celebrates 25 years of existence this year, a press release said.

The meeting will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Robbins, who grew up on a tobacco farm in rural eastern North Carolina, earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his doctorate in analytical chemistry from Princeton University, then spent a year at the Technical University of Norway on a Fulbright post-doctoral fellowship. [Read more…]

TVA to lower level of Melton Hill Reservoir for shoreline maintenance

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The Tennessee Valley Authority's Melton Hill Dam is pictured above. (Photo courtesy TVA)

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Melton Hill Dam is pictured above. (Photo courtesy TVA)

 

The Tennessee Valley Authority will temporarily lower the water level of Melton Hill Reservoir from Saturday, March 24, through Saturday, April 7, to allow property owners to repair docks, stabilize shoreline, and pick up litter.

The reservoir’s water level will be held between 790 and 792 feet above sea level—about two to four feet below its current level—during this period. The exact rate of the drawdown will depend on weather conditions and may vary with rainfall amounts, a press release said.

Melton Hill will be returned to its normal winter elevation of 794 feet beginning on April 8. [Read more…]