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City wins DOE NRDA grants for Bissell and Solway park restorations
Summary
The city was awarded two projects through a DOE natural-resources damages assessment fund: a $3.6M Bissell Park project (grant $2.88M, city match $720K) to daylight a culverted creek and add greenway bridges and trail upgrades, and a $3.325M Solway Park project (grant $2.6M, match $650K) to renovate boat-ramp parking, replace docks, add accessible launches and improve habitat; TDEC will administer contracts and design procurement will follow.
Parks staff announced two successful grant awards under a Department of Energy natural-resources damages assessment (NRDA) program, totaling roughly $6.88 million for Bissell Park and Solway Park improvements.
John Hetrick said the DOE-established $42 million fund released a first round of $10 million and Oak Ridge applied for and secured two projects: a $3.6 million project at Bissell Park with $2.88 million in grant funding and a $720,000 city match (which may include in-kind collaborations), and a $3.325 million Solway Park project with $2.6 million in grant funding and a $650,000 match.
Elements of the Bissell Park work include removal of a deteriorated culvert and reopening about 425 feet of creek, re-vegetation and stormwater management, plus two greenway bridges designed for maintenance and emergency vehicles and upgrades to the main trail to greenway standards. The Solway Park project covers boat-ramp parking-lot repairs, a new accessible dock and launch, additional parking tied to future roadwork, and habitat restoration.
Hetrick said Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will administer the grant contracts and that the city expects to execute contracts in February with design work to follow and an estimated one-year design timeline before bids and construction.
Council members asked about wheelchair access to the Bissell pavilion and how playground priorities fit with NRDA scope; staff said some accessibility improvements would come from the trail and bridges but that an all-inclusive playground was outside the NRDA environmental scope and would be considered separately.
No council action was required; staff will proceed with contract review and designer selection once contracts are finalized.
