Metro Parks outlines 2026 "Plan to Play" update; committee places eight grant and park resolutions on consent

Metro Parks told the Arts, Parks, Libraries & Entertainment Committee on June 17 that it is preparing a focused update to the 2017 Plan to Play master plan, with a target public release in March 2026 and an action-plan horizon of about five years.

"The first Plan to Play was in 2017," said Tim Naech, assistant director for Metro Parks’ Planning and Facilities Development Division. "We're not starting over. This will really be a supplement to that plan." He said the update will use the 2017 recommendations as benchmarks, include a condition assessment of facilities and produce a more robust approach to greenways, operations and finance.

Naech said the department has received more than 800 survey responses so far and that the survey will remain open through July. "To be statistically valid, we need 600 people. So we've already crossed that threshold," he said. He added that public meetings held in June averaged roughly 20 attendees each and that some portions of the condition assessment are already complete; Metro Parks will follow up with the committee on the final timeline for releasing the full condition-assessment report.

Committee members repeatedly urged Parks to broaden outreach into communities that are underrepresented in public meetings. Vice Chair Bough noted the value of in-person engagement and asked whether Parks would return to neighborhoods or coordinate with councilmembers. Naech said the department held five regional meetings (north, south, east, west and downtown) and has discussed requests for additional district-level meetings with the director, while warning the department’s capacity limits.

Councilmember Ewing asked whether the condition assessment would be available sooner to inform Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) requests this fall. Naech replied that some portions are complete and he would follow up with the assistant director over maintenance to provide timing.

Naech told the committee the department is using a mix of inputs — public engagement, peer-city metrics, recreation trends and population growth — to shape priorities. He said Metro Parks has estimated total deferred maintenance at $215,000,000 and noted the department’s operating budget is roughly $75,000,000, figures the committee discussed as part of balancing investment in existing assets versus growth.

Jackie Jones, Metro Parks public information officer, said outreach included a Parks newsletter with about 21,000 subscribers, social media posts, flyers at libraries and community centers, media advisories, targeted mailings to civic and ethnic groups, and earned-media interviews. Jones asked councilmembers to share news items and reporter links to increase uptake among neighborhood and community groups.

The committee placed eight resolutions on the consent calendar and moved them as a group. The items read into the record included resolutions accepting grant and in-kind donations to Metro Parks and an appropriation to the Nashville Public Library for after-school and summer programming. The transcript does not specify roll-call tallies for each resolution; the committee chair confirmed the consent motion and the items were advanced on consent with no member removing an item.

Votes at a glance (committee action as read into the record)

- RS2025-13-09: Resolution approving Amendment 1 to grant contracts with nonprofit organizations for out-of-school programs through the Nashville After Zone Alliance. Placed on consent and advanced; additional details not specified in transcript.

- RS2025-13-10: Resolution accepting an in-kind grant from Friends of Warner Parks to Metro Government acting by and through the Metro Board of Parks and Rec to fund the next phase of improvements in Warner Parks. Placed on consent and advanced; additional details not specified in transcript.

- RS2025-13-11: Resolution accepting an in-kind grant from Friends of Shelby Park and Bottoms to Metro Government acting by and through the Metro Board of Parks and Rec to fund bus rentals for current programming at Kirkpatrick East and South Englewood Community Centers to visit Shelby Park Bottoms. Placed on consent and advanced; additional details not specified in transcript.

- RS2025-13-12: Resolution accepting an in-kind grant from Friends of Shelby Park and Bottoms to Metro Government acting by and through the Metro Board of Parks and Rec for directional signage, informational signage, map kiosks, invasive plant management and native plant installation. Placed on consent and advanced; additional details not specified in transcript.

- RS2025-13-13: Resolution accepting an in-kind grant from the Middle Tennessee Pony Club to Metro Government acting by and through the Metro Board of Parks and Rec to fund installation of a grass riding surface at Percy Warner Park. Placed on consent and advanced; additional details not specified in transcript.

- Late-filed resolution (Porterfield and co-sponsor): Accepting an in-kind grant from Sister Cities of Nashville to Metro Government acting by and through the Metro Board of Parks and Rec to fund a commissioned mural on the exterior wall of Morgan Park Community Center, including future maintenance costs. Placed on consent and advanced; additional details not specified in transcript.

- Late-filed resolution (appropriation to Nashville Public Library): Appropriating a total of $1,526,540 to the Nashville Public Library to various nonprofit organizations for after-school and summer programming through library coordination (Nashville After Zone Alliance). Placed on consent and advanced; additional details not specified in transcript.

- Late-filed resolution (amendment to grant contracts): Approving Amendment 1 to grant contracts with various nonprofit organizations for out-of-school programs through the Nashville After Zone Alliance. Placed on consent and advanced; additional details not specified in transcript.

Committee members asked for follow-up information about the condition-assessment release date and expressed interest in seeing deferred-maintenance details to help prioritize CIB requests this fall. Parks staff said they will return to the committee in the fall with preliminary findings and asked councilmembers to share updated community contacts for outreach to ensure broader participation.