Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium are pictured above on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday will hear an update on the progress and next steps in the Blankenship Field revitalization project and an update on energy savings projects.
The update on the Blankenship Field project, which includes the installation of synthetic turf, will be given by Jon Hetrick, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks director. [Read more…]
A dog enjoys the Puppy Pool Party at the Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool on Providence Road. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)
The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will host a Puppy Pool Party after the city’s Outdoor Pool closes for the season. The last day for open swim will be Saturday, August 18, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. The puppy pool party will take place on Sunday, August 19, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
This is the third year for the puppy pool party, an event which marks the end of the summer swimming season at the outdoor pool. Owners may only wade in water up to knee deep and must clean up after their pet. Children are not allowed in the pool during the event. [Read more…]
Pictured above during a state grant announcement at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building for national park signs and waterfront improvements on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, are, from left, Dave Jones, East Tennessee division manager of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development; Amy New, assistant commissioner of community and rural development for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch; Jody Sliger, community development director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; and Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
A state grant of more than $50,000 that was announced Tuesday will help create interpretive signs for historic sites in Oak Ridge that are related to the Manhattan Project National Historical Park and improve the waterfront for events such as rowing, cycling, and festivals, officials said.
The $56,250 Tourism Enhancement Grant, part of the third round of grants, was announced Tuesday at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building. A few Oak Ridge officials attended, and so did representatives of the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
“Through this grant, the City of Oak Ridge, in partnership with Explore Oak Ridge, will receive funds to support projects that improve some of the city’s key tourist attractions,” a press release said.
Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge, said there are two parts to the grant. One is to enhance the city’s component of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The grant funding could be used to create interpretive signs at historic places like the Guest House and Chapel on the Hill. The interpretive signs will be accessible and include pictures and content, DeRose said. [Read more…]
Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge
The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will extend open hours at the outdoor pool on Providence Road into the month of August. The schedule is as follows:
*The 100 meter lap swim and kiddie pool will be closed for a special event on August 1, 2018. [Read more…]
Submitted image
Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning will partner with the Tennessee Valley Authority in a Discover Life in America “BioBlitz” at Worthington Cemetery in Oak Ridge on Saturday.
A BioBlitz is an event in which the public is invited to help with plant and animal identification, an event notice said.
The event’s organizer, Melinda Watson of TVA Natural Resources, said Worthington was selected because of its unique and varied habitats, including a cedar barren, native warm season grass meadow, hardwoods, marsh/swamp, hemlocks, among other habitats, the event notice said.
Each participant needs to have access to a smartphone, tablet, or a camera with GPS capability, the TCWP said. [Read more…]
From left to right are Roane State alumni who were members of the original golf team at the community college: Chris Griffin, Eddie Evans, Bobby Tipton (in back), Tom Flynn, former Roane State Golf Coach Eddie Liskovec, Mike Emery, John Thomas, Mike Fuller, and Randy Button. (Photo courtesy Roane State Community College)
By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer
A recent golf tournament at Oak Ridge Country Club raised funds to support a revived men’s golf team at Roane State Community College along with the startup of a women’s squad.
Proceeds from this year’s tournament will help in the purchase of equipment and supplies for the teams, and plans are in the works for future tournaments to support the teams, said Coach Chris Griffin, who is spearheading the effort.
Griffin and a special committee of staff and alumni, in partnership with the Roane State Foundation, organized the tournament, which also included a silent auction of items, events, and trips.
Contributions were received by the Roane State Foundation to support the effort, said Scott Niermann, executive director. The foundation is a not-for-profit entity that provides financial support for the college’s students and programs. [Read more…]
Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium are pictured above on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Note: This story was published at 4:15 p.m. June 19 and updated at 6 p.m. June 20.
The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday approved a $800,000 contract to buy and install synthetic turf at Blankenship Field.
Council approved the contract in 5-0 vote during a special meeting Tuesday evening in the Multipurpose Room in the Central Services Complex in central Oak Ridge.
The contract was awarded to Field Turf USA Inc. of Montreal in Quebec, Canada. The company has a regional office in Calhoun, Georgia.
The contract says the purchase and installation of the synthetic turf are not to exceed $800,000. [Read more…]
A first-ever Water Safety Day in Oak Ridge will feature demonstrations on boating and life jacket safety, open water rescues, lifeguard skills, and more, a press release said.
The Water Safety Day was announced by the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department. It’s scheduled from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. Saturday, June 30, at the Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool.
Water Safety Day is a partnership between the Recreation and Parks Department, Oak Ridge Fire Department, and Oak Ridge Police Department, as well as the Anderson County Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the press release said. [Read more…]
Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge
A large part of Melton Lake Drive will be closed Thursday for the USA Cycling Individual Time Trial National Championship, which is being held in Oak Ridge.
The planned road closure was announced by the City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Police Department.
The closure is necessary to provide a safe, closed-loop course for athletes, volunteers, and spectators, a press release said. [Read more…]
Photo courtesy University of Tennessee Arboretum Society
The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s monthly hike for June will be held Saturday, June 16, at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue. The hike is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Saturday.
“The weather is warm, and this is a great time to spend outdoors,” a press release said. “Learn about the UT Arboretum’s trails on this short trail hike (1 to 1.5 hours).”
This hike will be held outdoors and will be led by a volunteer familiar with the Arboretum and the trail system, the press release said. [Read more…]
The Sixth Annual Drug Awareness Day is Saturday at the Oak Ridge Municipal Pool.
It’s hosted by the Oak Ridge Chapter of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks.
The pool is located at 172 Providence Road.
Drug awareness demonstrations will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the pool area Saturday. [Read more…]
Photo courtesy Manhattan Project National Historical Park
Manhattan Project: Ride with a Ranger on the North Boundary Greenway
Join a park ranger for a bike ride on the North Boundary Greenway to see how the former communities of the area have changed during the past 70 years.
The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present this free program on Saturday, June 16, at 10 a.m. The program will begin at the Turnpike Gatehouse and travel down Quarry Trail.
“Along the ride, we will explore the former communities that were here before the Manhattan Project,” a press release said. “Rangers will stop several times along the bike ride to point out the rich history that is found within the Oak Ridge area.” [Read more…]
