Oak Ridge Town Council on Sept. 4 accepted a concept plan for Phase 2 of Heritage Farm Park and authorized staff to solicit design proposals. The concept, developed by McGill Associates with town staff and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, reflects public input gathered at a July drop-in meeting and a community survey that ran June 25 to Aug. 6.

Survey and public-input highlights: McGill reported 831 household survey responses representing 1,785 individuals; 56 people attended the July drop-in session. Pickleball emerged as the top-ranked amenity in both the drop-in visual preference exercise and the broader survey; other popular items included an "adventure" play area, basketball courts and outdoor fitness stations. A splash-pad-type water feature appeared frequently as a write-in (58 mentions), though staff and the consultant cautioned that a traditional recirculating splash pad is expensive and that the town does not yet have municipal water and would need to address utilities if pursuing a recirculating system.

Concept and cost: The consultant's concept proposes converting the previously graded court pad into a mixed-court area with 8 pickleball courts and 2 tennis courts, shaded spectator/meeting areas, added pathways to improve circulation and approximately 49 additional parking spaces near Scoggins Road. The plan calls for accessible features and fitness station nodes. McGill provided an opinion of probable cost for the full concept in staff materials (presented to council as a planning-level estimate approaching $1.8 million), and staff reminded council that such estimates are variable and depend on bidding conditions, surface selections, lighting and other choices.

Council discussion and decision: Parks & Recreation co-chair Adrian Eckenrod and other board members described parking and water considerations and recommended the concept. Council members asked about surfacing, fencing and tournament capability for courts, and staff noted the consultant's recommendation for concrete base and premium surface for pickleball and for individually fenced courts to meet player expectations. Council authorized staff to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) or otherwise solicit design firms to produce full design documents and cost estimates; the motion passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: Heritage Farm Park is a town-center amenity with limited acreage; decisions about Phase 2 will set long-term uses, circulation patterns and parking strategies. The concept emphasizes active recreation that survey respondents favored while flagging trade-offs (cost, parking and utility infrastructure) that must be resolved before construction.

Next steps: Staff will release an RFQ/Request for Proposals for design services, evaluate submissions, and return recommendations to council. Staff also noted potential grant opportunities; consultants advised that a completed design and readiness to bid can strengthen grant applications.