Oak Ridge Today

City to present ideas for mixed-use development on Wilson Street on Wednesday

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Wilson Street is pictured above. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The City of Oak Ridge and its Community Development Department will present possibilities for the mixed-use redevelopment of the Wilson Street corridor at a public meeting on Wednesday, October 23.

The meeting will be held at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, located at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., a press release said. The community is invited to view the presentation, which uses data compiled over several years of study and public engagement focused on the needs of Oak Ridge residents, business owners, and visitors, the release said.

The City of Oak Ridge secured grant funding for this project under an agreement with the State of Tennessee Department of Transportation and coordinated through the regional Transportation Planning Organization for the purposes of envisioning a new “Downtown Oak Ridge,” the press release said. The goal of the study is to explore what could be along the Wilson Street corridor, including multi-story, mixed-use development adjacent to the ongoing retail redevelopment of Main Street Oak Ridge.

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Children’s Halloween Party is Oct. 24; sponsors, volunteers needed

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Halloween Party 2017 Star Wars Family Costume (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will host the annual Children’s Halloween Party on Thursday, October 24, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This event is now in its 37th year and will be attended by hundreds of local children and their families, a press release said.

Activities will be held inside the Oak Ridge Civic Center, located at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike, and a hay ride will be offered outside in A.K. Bissell Park, weather permitting. There is no admission fee for the event, but participation in most activities requires one or more tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the Civic Center. The cost is 25 cents per ticket or $5 for a pack of 20.

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Greenway, park closures announced during fall hunts

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The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has scheduled two scout days and three quota hunts on the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area this fall.

During the scout and quota hunt days, these greenways and this park will be closed: Gallaher Bend Greenway, North Boundary Greenway, Haw Ridge Park, and the section of Melton Lake Greenway adjacent to Haw Ridge Park.

The hunts, which are open only to those with a valid TWRA quota permit, will take place on the following weekends:

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Tonight: Free Movie Night in the Park

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The Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board, in partnership with the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson, will host a free Movie Night in the Park event tonight (Friday, October 11).

The event will be held in Alvin K. Bissell Park beginning at 7 p.m. The movie shown will be Disney’s “The Haunted Mansion” (rated PG) from 2003 starring Eddie Murphy. Free popcorn and drinks will be available while supplies last, a press release said.

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Oak Ridge Public Library to host concert with cellist

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Alicia Randisi-Hooker (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Public Library will host a lunchtime concert with cellist Alicia Randisi-Hooker on Wednesday, October 16, from noon until 1 p.m. as part of the World Wise Wednesdays program.

An engaging speaker and performer, Alicia Randisi-Hooker is a well-known member of the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra and the Trillium Piano Trio, a press release said. She has performed extensively in a rich variety of settings, from the Knoxville Symphony to the Philly Pops orchestras, and in many chamber ensembles.

She studied in Germany with members of the renowned Alban Berg Quartet, and performed concerts in Italy, France, Germany, and across the United States. As a noted Suzuki cello teacher, her private cello students have won awards and scholarships both nationally and internationally, the press release said.

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Grand opening for new Oak Ridge Senior Center is Oct. 15

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Oak Ridge Senior Center exterior front 2019
The front of the new Oak Ridge Senior Center is pictured above. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department has scheduled a grand opening and ribbon-cutting event for the new Oak Ridge Senior Center at 10 a.m. Tuesday, October 15.

Brief remarks will kick off the celebration, followed by a ribbon-cutting and cake and refreshments inside the new building.

“Everyone is invited to take a tour of the senior center and learn about the activities and programs offered for local seniors,” a press release said.

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Street resurfacing project under way

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The Oak Ridge Public Works Department has a street resurfacing project that is under way and expected to continue for several weeks, a press release said.

It said Public Works Department crews have completed preparation work along Paine Lane and South Purdue Avenue. Crews are now preparing North Purdue Avenue for resurfacing. Rogers Group Inc., working under contract for the City of Oak Ridge, will finish the resurfacing, the press release said.

“Drivers should be advised that some locations may have a rough or bumpy surface until Rogers Group crews are able to complete the final surface on the streets,” the release said.

Streets that will be resurfaced as part of the project, in addition to the streets listed above, are listed below:

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Oak Ridge Business Office to be temporarily relocated

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Oak Ridge Utilities Business Office Exterior
Oak Ridge Utilities Business Office (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Utilities Business Office will temporarily relocate to the Oak Ridge Civic Center for about four months to allow workers to renovate the office to improve safety and efficiency, a press release said.

The Utilities Business Office is where Oak Ridge residents can pay utility bills and city taxes.

The temporary relocation, which will start Monday, October 7, was announced by the Oak Ridge Electric Department.

“The move is due to planned renovations of the UBO that are needed to increase efficiency and safety,” the press release said. “The affected offices are normally located inside the Oak Ridge Municipal Building at 200 South Tulane Avenue. Signs will be posted to direct patrons to the temporary offices.”

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Temporary water outage along Gum Hollow for line repairs

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There will be a temporary water outage along Gum Hollow Road and side streets on Tuesday, October 1, to allow work crews to repair a broken water main, a press release said.

The water outage will start at 8 a.m. Tuesday, and it is expected to last between five and seven hours, the press release said.

Water will be turned off on Gum Hollow Road and all side streets beginning at Glassboro Drive, the press release said.

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New Senior Center opens Thursday

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The front of the new Oak Ridge Senior Center is pictured above. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The new Oak Ridge Senior Center opens today (Thursday, September 26) in Alvin K. Bissell Park in central Oak Ridge.

The new Senior Center was scheduled to open at 9 a.m. Normal operating hours were scheduled to resume Thursday, and so were most activities.

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department called it a “soft opening.” Oak Ridge municipal officials are planning a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony for later, and details will be announced soon, a press release said.

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Senior Center to be temporarily closed for move to new facility

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Oak Ridge Senior Center Front Sept 2019
Construction of the new Oak Ridge Senior Center on the west side of the Oak Ridge Civic Center has been completed. The front of the new Senior Center is pictured above. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Senior Center will be temporarily closed starting Monday, September 16, to allow the staff to relocate to the new Senior Center on the west side of the Civic Center.

The temporary closure was announced by the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department.

Construction of the new center was finished on schedule, and staff can now occupy the space to complete final preparations, a press release said.

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Household hazardous waste collection is Saturday

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Anderson County Solid Waste Management and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation are sponsoring a household hazardous waste collection event on Saturday, September 14, in Oak Ridge.

The collection is scheduled between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Oak Ridge Central Services Complex at 100 Woodbury Lane, behind the Hobby Lobby shopping center. This is a state-sponsored household hazardous waste event, and it is open to all Tennessee residents, a press release said.

Household hazardous waste is anything generated in the household that has a hazardous property. Examples include household disinfectants, drain cleaners, adhesives, pesticides, old gasoline, and pool chemicals, the press release said. A material is considered hazardous if it is flammable, corrosive, toxic, or reactive with heat or contact with metals.

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