Nashville Parks Foundation outlines projects, funding and partnership with Metro Parks

Louise Bridal, president of the Nashville Parks Foundation, told the Arts, Parks, Libraries & Entertainment Committee that the foundation raised roughly $595,000 in fiscal 2024 and is targeting more than $300,000 for systemwide investment in 2025.

"We are the nonprofit partner to Metro Parks and Recreation," Bridal said, describing the foundation's role supporting 178 parks and 27 community centers and bridging funding for the 167 parks without established friends groups. She said revenue from the operating contract for Ascend Amphitheater was about $93,000 in fiscal 2024 and that the foundation raised an additional $500,000 last year, about $200,000 of which was restricted for other projects.

Bridal said the foundation is "very lean" with 1.5 full-time equivalent staff and that it put about $140,000 into programming last year. The board approved an initial distribution of $50,000 to community centers for programming, $50,000 to Watkins Pump Track Phase 2 (an expansion of an existing pump track approved by the parks department), and $100,000 toward the McCabe Park Playground and Community Center project. Bridal said the McCabe project is a $450,000 project and the foundation is about $90,000 short of the match needed.

"Everything we do... is approved by the parks department," Bridal said, noting close collaboration with Metro Parks and Recreation, Greenways for Nashville, Oasis Bike Center, the skater community, and Urban GreenLab on sustainability practices. She also said the foundation has become the fiduciary for the Music City Hot Chicken Festival and described outreach at public events including Earth Day.

Committee members asked whether the 50-cent-per-ticket contribution from Amphitheater ticket sales will continue under the venue's new contract. Bridal said the ticket contribution is being renegotiated and she did not have finalized information. Director Odom (Kevin Odom) echoed that the matter is under negotiation and that the foundation and parks staff will follow up when terms are finalized.

Bridal also noted Councilmember Gadd recently joined the foundation's board. Committee Chair thanked the foundation for the briefing and said staff contact information and materials submitted to the committee will be placed in committee files. The committee briefly discussed scheduling a fuller presentation to allow more time for questions.

The foundation's presentation lasted roughly five minutes during the meeting; committee members asked a small number of clarifying questions and the meeting otherwise proceeded through routine agenda business.